This is a Minato x Konan one-shot requested by funkytunes. I've been meaning to write more for this pairing since it's so underappreciated and this is the perfect opportunity.
-:-
"I seriously think this is a bad idea, Minato!" called out the white-haired man as he followed after the blond.
"I'm sure everything will be fine, Jiraiya-sensei," replied Minato as he looked back at his teacher. "Besides, as long as you're coming with me, this might have a chance of working."
The two shinobi were currently jumping from branch to branch making their way to a place that Jiraiya had many problems with; Amegakure.
Jiraiya let out a sigh. "I'm telling you, Minato, I've fought Hanzo and he is no pushover. He's not going to listen to you."
"We have to do something, Sensei. We know that Konohagakure was in the wrong during the war so many years ago. It might have taken us a few years, but the least we can do is offer an apology and any help Amegakure needs to rebuild," stated Minato. He then gave off a smirk. "Plus, from all the stories you've told me, Hanzo obviously has some respect for you so he might be willing to listen if you're there."
The frog sage had to hold back a growl of frustration. He was starting to question if his boy was a masochist if he was willing to confront Hanzo the Salamander of all people. Then again, this was the same boy who married an Uzumaki woman and Uzumaki women were known for their fiery tempers. Hell, he himself was married to a busty blonde with enough strength to demolish a mountain if she got angry enough, so who was he to judge.
They soon crossed the border where the weather started to become more and more dull the further they went.
"One last time, Minato, this is a bad idea," said Jiraiya as the rain came pouring down.
Of course Minato did not listen as the two reached Amegakure. As they made their way forward to the entrance, two guards confronted them.
"Halt! What business do you have here?" demanded one of the guards as they glared at Minato and Jiraiya.
"We have come to talk with the leader of your village," stated Minato.
The other guard gave off a scoff. "Why would Pein-sama lower himself to talk with a Konoha shinobi?!"
Minato and Jiraiya glanced at each other in confusion at the mention of the name Pein. Jiraiya looked back at the guards for answers. "Pein? Isn't Hanzo the Salamander the leader of Amegakure?"
"Hanzo's tyranny ended when Pein-sama eliminated him," replied a voice that caused the two guards to tense up and the two Konoha shinobi to go on guard.
"Lady Angel!" exclaimed the guards as they stood at attention.
The next thing Minato and Jiraiya knew was that a woman suddenly appeared in a swirl of what looked like paper. She looked to be Minato's age and had short blue hair with a paper flower in it. She wore a black robe with red clouds on it. Upon seeing the woman, Jiraiya couldn't help but grin…and not in his usual perverted way.
"Konan! Is that really you?" asked Jiraiya as he stepped towards the woman, ignoring the glares he was getting from the two guards.
Konan blinked in confusion before looking at the white-haired man. "Jiraiya-sensei? It's good to see you again."
Now it was Minato and the two guards' turn to be confused. Minato was confused because Jiraiya somehow knew this woman and the guards were shocked because Konan knew this Konoha shinobi. "Ano, am I missing something here, Jiraiya-sensei?"
For the moment, Jiraiya ignored his blond student. "Konan, would it be alright if we talked in private?"
Noticing that her sensei was glancing towards the two guards, who were giving him suspicious looks, relented. "Very well. Follow me."
With a smile, Jiraiya beckoned the still confused Minato to follow. The two guards were surprised that their Lady Angel would allow these outsiders in so easily. They were about to say something, but the look they received from Konan told them otherwise.
"You are to stay and keep guard. Do I make myself clear?" demanded Konan.
"H-Hai, Lady Angel!"
With that taken care of, Konan led Jiraiya and Minato into the village.
-:-
Minato looked around the room in curiosity as he and Jiraiya waited for Konan to return. She had led them to the central tower that loomed over the village. It didn't take long for Konan to return and with her was a man with spiky orange hair, piercings all over his face, and a pair of eyes that Jiraiya recognized right away.
"N-Nagato?!" exclaimed a surprised Jiraiya. His appearance was quite different from what Jiraiya remembered, but there was no denying the appearance of the Rinnegan.
"…I must admit, I was surprised when Konan told me that you were here, Jiraiya-sensei," replied the man in an emotionless tone. "Why are you here?"
"We had come here to speak with Hanzo," said Minato, interrupting the reunion. "Of course this was before we knew Hanzo was dead."
Ancient eyes turned towards the blond. "And why did you wish to speak with Hanzo?"
Minato did not back down or show fear. "Konohagakure was in the wrong during the war all those years ago."
That caught Pein and Konan off guard. Aside from Jiraiya, they never expected anyone from Konoha to admit something like that.
"…Explain," demanded Pein with narrowed eyes. He was wary that this might be a trick and if it were a trick, he would not hesitate to kill these two.
"We have reason to believe that the attack on Amegakure during the war was orchestrated by a man by the name of Danzo," started Minato. "He is an old war hawk who doesn't believe in peace and uses war for self-gain."
Konan turned towards the frog sage. "Is that true, Jiraiya-sensei?"
The old man gave off a nod. "Pretty much. Danzo's also a sneaky bastard who knows how to hide his dealings when he wants to. More than likely, he started the war as a way to usurp the Hokage position since he's wanted the title for years. Minato here was hoping to speak with Hanzo since we believe that Danzo and Hanzo collaborated with each other during the war and Hanzo would be able to provide some information that would put Danzo away."
"If this Danzo truly did this, why not just kill him?" questioned Pein.
"Danzo is an arrogant person, Nagato-san," replied Minato. "Death would actually be an easy way out for him as it would mean he would never be punished for his crimes. With Hanzo dead though, we might not get the chance."
"I see. Was there anything else you had wished to speak of?"
"While I know nothing can change what happened in the past, as Hokage I wish to extend Konoha's deepest apologies and should your village still need any help to rebuild."
All was silent as Pein stared at Minato with his emotionless visage while Konan stared with wide eyes. The silence was starting to become tense until Pein decided to break it.
"Interesting. It is surprising how honest you are considering the world we live in."
"If there's one thing Jiraiya-sensei has taught me it's that if we wish to strive for peace we have to be honest with our allies. I do not see you or your village as enemies, Nagato-san. I have no reason to lie to you," explained Minato.
"…Very well. I will need time to think about this. When I come to a decision I shall send someone to your village with my answer," replied Pein.
Jiraiya couldn't help but smile as he watched his students shake hands. Maybe, just maybe, these two could be the ones who could bring peace to the world.
"Jiraiya-sensei, Minato-san, seeing as how it is late would you like to stay the night to rest before setting off in the morning?" asked Konan, earning a glance from Pein.
Minato merely shook his head. "The offer is appreciated, Konan-san, but I will have to decline unfortunately. While I can't speak for Sensei, I need to get home as soon as possible since my wife is pregnant and actually due any day now."
"Oh! Congratulations then, Minato-san!" replied Konan with a soft smile, causing Minato to rub the back of his head in embarrassment.
"And I have to make sure this one reaches home in one piece," added Jiraiya as he slapped Minato on the back.
"I can take care of myself, Sensei," stated Minato with a frown.
The frog sage gave his blond student a deadpan look. "I know that, but you know how your wife is. She's an Uzumaki remember? If she found out that I left you on your own, her infamous temper will explode and we'll all be screwed!"
"Hai, you're right," relented Minato with a sigh. He then turned back towards Pein and Konan and gave them a slight bow. "Again, thank you for the offer and thank you for giving my request some thought."
With one last goodbye, Minato and Jiraiya took their leave from Amegakure after Konan escorted them back to the village gates. Once they were gone, Konan made her way back to Pein's tower and to a certain room within. Once inside, she looked towards the malnourished looking redhead that was strapped into an odd looking machine.
"Nagato…we are going to accept their proposition, right?"
Purple-ringed eyes looked towards the blue-haired woman. "I said I would think about it, Konan. Is there a reason you think I should?"
"You and I both know we can trust Jiraiya-sensei and Minato-san seems to be trustworthy as well. Besides…"
"…Go on."
"…You heard what Jiraiya-sensei said. Minato-san is married to an Uzumaki. An Uzumaki, Nagato! There's someone from your clan still out there! You still have family!"
Nagato frowned at Konan's words. She knew what the death of his parents did to him. Their death was part of the reason why he wanted to change the world so there would never be war again, why he was willing to do certain things to achieve it. Family was something he missed dearly and he did somewhat get it back with Konan, Yahiko, and Jiraiya…but then Jiraiya left and Yahiko died. If it weren't for Konan, who knows how far he'd fall.
"Would she even want me around?" questioned Nagato, afraid that he might never have a family again.
"I'm sure she would, Nagato," replied Konan in a soft tone. "And I'm sure that Minato-san would welcome you as well when he learns that you're an Uzumaki. I'm also sure they would be happy that their child would have an uncle in their life."
Nagato could only smile softly. "Arigatou, Konan."
-:-
It had been a week since Minato had visited Amegakure and Nagato had come to a decision and had sent Konan to be the messenger as she was the only one Nagato could trust with this task. As of right now, Konan was on her way towards Konohagakure with a smile on her face and a package in her hands.
'Minato-san will be pleased with Nagato's answer,' thought the blue-haired woman. She then held up the package she had. 'And hopefully they like the gift for the baby!'
Konan had convinced Nagato that he should also send a gift for his niece or nephew, which unfortunately confused Nagato greatly as he had no idea what to send. Luckily for him, Konan took it upon herself to knit a blanket for the baby. It was black with red spirals and clouds, to represent the Uzumaki Clan and what the Akatsuki is supposed to be.
Upon getting closer to Konohagakure, Konan noticed that something felt off. There was an ominous feeling in the air. When she reached the village gates, her eyes widened at the destruction before her.
"Wh-What happened?!"
Not really thinking, she ran into the village, worried about Minato and his family. She didn't make it very far as she had to dodge an incoming kunai. Looking to where the weapon came from, she found a few members on Konoha's ANBU squad.
"What business do you have here, outsider?" demanded the leader of the group.
Not wanting to start a fight, Konan answered truthfully. "I am here to deliver a message to Namikaze Minato from the leader of Amegakure. Now answer my questions. What happened here? Where is Minato-san?"
The ANBU were silent before the leader spoke up. "Come with us. You will get your answers soon."
Konan was cautious to follow. It felt as if these ANBU relented too easily. She didn't want to cause trouble in Minato's village, but if it came down to it, she would defend herself. Following the ANBU squad, she was led to what she believed to be the building that held the Hokage's office. This was proven to be true when the ANBU led her up to the office, but instead of finding Minato she was greeted by an old man.
"Hm? Who is this?" questioned the old man.
"This woman claims to have a message for the Yondaime, Sandaime-sama," answered the ANBU leader.
"I see. Then this must be the messenger from Amegakure, correct?"
"H-Hai!" replied Konan, a little nervous to stand before the man who taught Jiraiya-sensei. "This message is very urgent and I was hoping to speak with Minato-san directly."
Taking a drag from his pipe, Hiruzen then let out sigh of what sounded like sadness. He then looked directly at Konan. "I'm afraid you won't be able to give him your message. At least, not for a while."
Konan narrowed her eyes. "Why? What happened to Minato-san? Are he and his family alright?!"
Sensing the genuine concern in her voice, he made his decision. "Come with me. I was about to visit Minato before you came."
Following after the old man, Konan had a bad feeling come over her.
-:-
The bad feeling Konan had grew tenfold when Hiruzen led her to the hospital.
'Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay!' chanted Konan in her thoughts. She had lost too many people in her life already and she didn't want to lose anymore.
Upon entering the building, Hiruzen led Konan up to a private room and inside was the man Konan had come to see.
Hiruzen quickly activated the privacy seals within the room. "As you can see, Minato is in very rough shape. We're lucky he survived the ordeal."
"…What happened?" asked Konan, moving closer to look at the sleeping blond.
"A few days ago the village was attacked by the Kyubi no Yoko," replied Hiruzen. Receiving a surprised look from Jiraiya's former student he explained further. "We are unsure how or why the beast attacked and despite the fact that Minato is not comatose, he hasn't said anything."
"Wh-What about his family? Are they still alive?"
As if on cue, a loud cry from the corner broke the silence in the room. Hiruzen was about to make his way over to the bassinet, but Konan was quicker. The old man watched as the woman picked up the baby and tried to calm him down.
'Well this is interesting,' thought the old man.
'He has Minato's hair and eyes,' thought Konan as the blond baby looked at her with big, watery, blue eyes. 'These whisker marks are strange though. Are they from his mother?'
"His name is Naruto. He was the only other one to survive the attack," stated Hiruzen.
Konan's shoulders tensed at that. "You mean…?"
"Hm," hummed the saddened Hiruzen with a nod. "Minato's wife unfortunately didn't make it."
"She was murdered."
Konan and Hiruzen jump a bit at the sudden voice. Turning towards the bed, they found Minato awake, but his eyes held that of a broken soul. Hiruzen let out a sigh of relief, though, seeing that Minato at least started talking.
"What do you mean Kushina was murdered, Minato?" questioned Hiruzen. Minato didn't respond further. "Please, Minato! I know what you're feeling. Remember, my own wife died that night as well."
Dull blue eyes briefly up at his predecessor, as he did remember that Sarutobi Biwako was there to assist with Naruto's birth.
"…It was a man in an orange mask," responded Minato. He didn't notice the way Konan tensed, but Hiruzen did. Minato continued his story. "He came when Kushina was giving birth and put the Kyubi under a genjutsu, hoping to use the fox to destroy the village."
"One of the Uchiha did this?" questioned Hiruzen, his eyes widening a bit. It was the only logical conclusion given that the Sharingan was the only known thing that could control a biju.
Minato only continued. "That man…he also threatened to kill Naruto."
Konan held the baby in her arms protectively. How could anyone threaten to kill a baby and a newborn no less?!
"What happened next, Minato?" questioned Hiruzen.
"…I was able to save Naruto and fight the man off, but the Kyubi was still on a rampage despite the fact that he was no longer under a genjutsu. I did the only thing I could do…I had to seal the Kyubi away."
Hiruzen's eyes widened at that before he glanced towards Naruto. Being the Sandaime, he knew that the Kyubi no Yoko was originally sealed within the Shodaime's wife, Uzumaki Mito, before being transferred into Uzumaki Kushina upon Mito's death. With Kushina now dead, the Kyubi needed to be placed in a new vessel and unfortunately for both Minato and Naruto there was only one possible choice. But if Minato had to seal the fox away into Naruto, that left one question still unanswered.
"Minato, how are you still alive?"
The blond gripped the sheets of his bed, anger and frustration apparent. "I don't know."
Konan was confused as she watched the conversation between Minato and Hiruzen. The way the old man asked his question made it seem like Minato should have died. Regardless though, Minato was alive and that was all that mattered right now. Now he just needed to be brought back to his former self and Konan felt she could be the one to help him.
"Minato."
"…Konan-san?" questioned the blond, as if he just noticed that she was in the room.
"Hai, Minato. It's me."
"…Why are you here?"
"I'm here to help you, Minato. Just like how you offered your help to Nagato and I," replied Konan.
"…How can you possibly help me?" questioned Minato in a slightly harsh tone. What made her think she knew what he was going through?
"…I know what it feels like to lose someone I loved deeply, Minato," said Konan in a quiet voice.
Minato could only scowl. "You don't know anything."
Konan felt hurt by Minato's words and wanted to snap at him, but she understood that he was hurting and needed to vent. It might take awhile, but she would stay with him and help him through the pain.
Turning back to the bassinet, she placed Naruto back inside, only for the baby to let out a whimper. Konan gently ran her hand over the baby's head in a way to keep him calm. "Shh, it's okay, Naruto-chan. I'll be right back."
The angel then turned and left the room with Hiruzen, after bidding farewell to Minato, right behind her.
"What are you planning, Konan-san?" questioned Hiruzen.
Konan turned to the old man, a serious look on her face. "Sandaime-sama, I wish to apply for temporary residency here in Konohagakure."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow in surprise, as he was not expecting that. Although, he had a feeling as to why she would make such a request. "He might not look like it, but Minato can be quite stubborn when he wants to be. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Konan nodded her head in determination. "He clearly needs help and, as I said, I know what he's going through. I want to help him just as he wanted to help Amegakure."
"Hm, and will your leader be okay with this?"
"Once I send a message explaining everything, I know he will."
Hiruzen was a bit hesitant over this. It wasn't everyday that a foreign ninja wanted to live within Konoha, but Konan just might be the only person who could help Minato. Plus, someone needed to look after Naruto while Minato was being rehabilitated and if her interaction with child was any indication, she was perfect for it.
"Very well. I will grant your request."
Konan smiled at this. "Arigatou, Sandaime-sama!"
"Just promise me you won't give up on Minato."
"You have my word. I will do everything I can to help Minato," replied Konan. A thought then came to her mind. "By the way, Sandaime-sama, where is Jiraiya-sensei? Does he know of what happened?"
"I had sent him a message as soon as I could after the incident explaining everything. Knowing him, he will be back once he finds a certain person and brings her back with him," explained Hiruzen.
Konan was curious as to whom Jiraiya-sensei would be bringing with him, but didn't ask any further questions. She trusted her sensei to be here for Minato. Right now though, she had work to do.
-:-
In a small, but cozy hotel room, Konan sat at the desk and wrote out the letter she would be sending to Nagato. Once she finished she reread it to make sure she didn't miss anything.
Dear Nagato,
I wish I were writing to you under better circumstances. I'll cut to the chase; Konoha had been attacked. From what I've been told by the Sandaime Hokage, the Kyubi no Yoko was the one who attacked the village and Minato was able to fight it off. Unfortunately many died in the process…including Minato's wife. Luckily, the child, your nephew, is still alive. His name is Naruto! Because of the devastation though, and Minato's current condition, I will be staying here in Konoha for the time being to take care of Naruto and Minato. Minato offered help to us, it is only right to give help in return.
Jiraiya-sensei has also been informed of what had happened as he was out of the village at the time of the incident. While I'm not sure when exactly he will return, it should be very soon.
I must also mention that the Kyubi no Yoko, while the one who attacked the village, was not the true culprit. Nagato, the man calling himself Uchiha Madara was the cause of all of this. He infiltrated Konoha and put the Kyubi no Yoko under a genjutsu to control him as a puppet and even went as far as to threaten to kill Naruto. I don't know what Madara is truly planning, but this is not what we created the Akatsuki for! We wanted to create peace! Not death and destruction!
You need to do something, Nagato. You might be the only one who can stop Madara before more people die. If he was willing to go as far as to try and kill a newborn, he will try again. I know you'll do the right thing, Nagato. I would like Naruto to meet the real you one day. You both deserve to meet each other.
Signed,
Konan
Seeing that it was perfect, Konan used her jutsu to fold the letter into a paper crane and let it loose out the window. She watched as it flew into the direction of Amegakure.
"Please do the right thing, Nagato."
-:-
It had been a few days since Konan arrived in Konoha and had sent the letter to Nagato. She was worried, as she knew her letter should have reached him by now, but she hadn't received any reply. She just hoped that nothing happened to Nagato…or that Madara somehow got ahold of the letter first. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the sounds of baby babble.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Naruto-chan! I guess I was lost in my thoughts," said Konan as she looked down at the baby in her arms with a smile.
Wide blue eyes looked up at the woman in curiosity, almost as if asking what was wrong. Tiny little hands reached up as if to try make her feel better. Konan let out a few giggles as she let the baby grab her finger.
From his hospital bed, Minato glanced over at Konan and his son. He felt tightness in his chest, as that should have been Kushina playing with Naruto. He was about to say something, but a knock at the door stopped him. Minato and Konan looked over to the door to see the single eye of a masked boy with silver hair peeking in.
"Kakashi?" questioned Minato. Upon hearing the voice, the boy let out a sigh and came into the room fully.
"Hey, Sensei," said Kakashi, although he sounded a bit uncomfortable. "…I see that you're awake."
Despite everything he's been through recently, Minato couldn't help the slight smile that appeared on his face. "And I'm alive, Kakashi. You don't need to worry about me."
"I wasn't worried," replied the scarecrow, giving his sensei a narrowed look.
"Are you sure? I had asked Hiruzen how you were doing since the attack and he mentioned that you thought I was dead despite you were told otherwise."
"…Can you really blame me?" questioned Kakashi, realizing there was no need to lie.
"No, I suppose not."
Kakashi nodded his head in agreement. He then glanced over at Konan, who had been watching the conversation in curiosity. The boy then looked back at his sensei. "Who is this?"
"This…this is Konan," replied Minato. "She is from Amegakure…and she will be staying here in Konoha for awhile."
Kakashi glanced over at Konan once more before looking back at Minato. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Sensei?"
"I didn't really have a choice in the matter," replied Minato with a grimace.
Konan merely rolled her eyes, used to Minato's sulky attitude by now. "We've been over this Minato. I am going to help you and Naruto-chan whether you like it or not."
The baby Uzumaki let out happy gurgles and babbles, almost as if he was agreeing with Konan.
Minato frowned. He felt outnumbered. How could his own son side with Konan over him? He was about to tell Konan to leave when the door slammed open. When everyone looked over, Minato's eyes widened at not only seeing Jiraiya standing there, but also a certain busty blonde who did not look happy.
"See, Hime? Told you the gaki was okay," stated Jiraiya.
Tsunade gave the white-haired man a glare before making her way over to Minato (at which point Kakashi wisely got out of the way) and checking him over with her healing jutsu.
"Wh-What are you doing here?" asked Minato, avoiding eye contact with Tsunade. He flinched when her glared landed on him.
"I'm told that you almost died and you have the audacity to ask me why I'm here?!" growled out the woman, her glare unrelenting. "Now keep quiet so I can finish!"
Off to the side, Konan watched as Tsunade checked over Minato. She vaguely remembered the woman from her youth. The only thing she really knew about Tsunade was that she was Jiraiya-sensei's teammate and whatever stories Jiraiya-sensei told about her. Seeing how close Tsunade and Minato seemed to be though…it didn't sit right with Konan.
It was then that Naruto, wondering why no one was paying attention to him and who this new person was, decided to make himself known. The sound of baby babble garnered the attention of everyone in the room and upon seeing the blue-haired angel Jiraiya gave off a grin.
"Konan! I'm guessing you're here with Nagato's answer?"
"H-Hai, Sensei! Nagato has agreed to accept Konohagakure's help. Although, after arriving and seeing what had happened I decided to stay and return the favor," explained Konan as she held Naruto close.
"Is that right? Glad to have you here then!" stated the sage with a fatherly smile. He then turned to Tsunade. "Tsunade, you remember Konan, right? She was one of those kids we met after the war and I took on as a student."
The blonde wasn't listening though. Her full attention was focused on the baby in Konan's arms. She then glanced at Minato before focusing back on Naruto. It didn't take long for everything to click and she glared at Jiraiya.
"Why did you not tell me I had a grandson?!" demanded the busty blonde, causing Jiraiya to flinch back.
Upon hearing Tsunade's words, Konan's mind went blank for a few seconds. 'Grandson?"
So stunned by this, Konan didn't even realize it when Tsunade took Naruto out of her arms and started cooing over the baby. On one hand, she felt an unexpected relief at finding out that this woman was Minato's mother. On the other hand, this woman was Minato's mother! Of all the things she expected, this was the last thing on the list.
"Konan? Are you alright?" asked the voice of Minato, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"H-Hai, I'm fine."
Minato glanced over at Jiraiya, who got the message clearly.
"So Hime, I'm sure you've got a lot of questions for me, right?" asked Jiraiya, knowing he was probably going to be using one of the hospital rooms soon.
Tsunade glared at him once more as she held Naruto close. "What do you think, Baka?"
The old sage let out a nervous chuckle before he grabbed Kakashi by the back of his shirt. "You're coming as well, gaki."
The masked teen gave Jiraiya his own glare. "And why exactly do I have to leave?"
"Because I'm sure Minato needs a bit more rest before he leaves this place. Besides, if Tsunade's here that means you get to hang out with that Shizune girl!" explained Jiraiya, a perverted grin appearing on his face towards the end.
Kakashi let out a groan while Tsunade wanted to pummel that Baka of hers. Once they were all gone, Minato looked over at the still dazed looking Konan.
"Konan?"
"Minato?"
"Are you sure you're alright?"
"…I'm just surprised that Tsunade is your mother. It was very unexpected," said Konan with a sigh, figuring that she might as well be honest with him.
"If that surprised you, you should know that Sensei is actually my father," replied Minato, rubbing the back of his head.
The blue-haired woman had a blank look on her face as she tried to process that information. In all the time she had known Jiraiya-sensei she could never picture him as an actual father, let alone married. She always figured he'd be an eternal bachelor…an eternal perverted bachelor. Once she regained her senses, she asked the first question that came to mind.
"How did you not end up like him?"
Minato couldn't help but laugh at the question. "You've met my mother."
That did make sense. There'd be no way Jiraiya-sensei could ever corrupt Minato with Tsunade around. Speaking of Tsunade…
"Minato?"
"Hm?"
"Where was your mother when the attack happened? Wouldn't she have been in the village since she is a medic?" asked Konan, curiosity painting her tone.
"…It's complicated and I'd rather not talk about it right now."
Konan gave a nod of understanding, seeing that this was painful topic for the man. "Okay then, Minato. Just know that if you do decide to get it off your chest that I'll be here to listen."
"…Arigatou, Konan."
He gave her small smile. The first true smile from him since Konan first arrived in Konoha. Upon seeing it, Konan had only one thought.
'Beautiful.'
TO BE CONTINUED
-:-
I am very, very sorry this took so long to get out. As you can see though, it's much longer than what I usually write. So much so that I had to split it up into two parts. I'll try to get the second part up as soon as I can.