Well, here's a story idea that's been bugging me. I decided to just go with it since I got a wall with The New Hire... Honestly? I'm not sure if this one has a future. If want it continue then speak up, same if you don't. I would like some artwork done for it though, like the photo or maybe some of Minato's drawings?
...
It was just another regular day in the Namikaze household. Kushina was putting some boxes in the attic, finalizing the move.
That's when a past deliberately forgotten by the two main parties involved decided to rear its ugly head.
And it all started with a journal falling out of one of the boxes she was carrying. Being the naturally curious and easily distracted person she is (seriously, she was late to her own wedding because she was chasing a squirrel. Only saying (quote): "I suddenly wanted to create an army of the little guys") she just had to put the boxes down and pick up the journal to study it. Noticing the writing on its cover first. Mathematical Sealing- Journal 1 (Minato Namikaze).
Hm, this was interesting. Usually sealing relied on the standard script developed by the Uzumaki. Maybe he'd be willing to teach her a bit about this.
Deciding she wanted a bit of a headstart on it before she asked her husband, Kushina quickly undid the buckle holding it closed. Now, math is not her forte and right there on the first page was a whole lot of super complicated equations and stuff. She naturally understood very little, but it was enough to get her foot in the door. So she kept reading, turning page after page until reaching an unfinished equation three-fourths of the way through. All she could come up with is that he might've had trouble with this particular problem. She was now sitting on the floor cross-legged and totally enthralled by all the notes. She turn the page anyways hoping for more maths (for the first time in her life) and helpful notations. All she got instead was some kinda photo falling into her lap face down. Now, as stated earlier, she is a very distractible person ( ninja squirrel army).
So naturally she got curious and her attention was completely taken away from the journal in her hands. Noticing the note written on the back which faced her she picked it up. Upon further inspection, she noticed it wasn't her husband's hand writing, but Jiraiya Sensei's.
'Here's a little something to remember your time together you brats'
Getting curious, Kushina quickly turned it over to see what he meant. What she found shocked her beyond belief.
It was obviously a genin team photo. That wasn't the surprising part. That would be the way Minato Namikaze, her husband, was holding Mikoto Uchiha, her best friend in the photograph. Standing behind her with his arms around her waist and grinning like an idiot over her shoulder. Mikoto herself seemed to be giggling while leaning into the hold. Jiraiya stood in the back and their other teammate stood a little off to the side. Both wearing the 'irritated third wheel' face and shooting a small glare at the happy couple.
She quickly remembered the journal in her hands and looked back at it. What greeted her was another surprise. It was a drawing of Mikoto, really well done she might add. Turning through the rest of the pages was no help either, just more drawings and some off hand notes like "she's really pretty" or similar things (one even said 'Mikoto Namikaze').
She started quickly looking between the journal and the photo with a stunned expression. Nobody expected what happened next.
Kushina Uzumaki, wife of Minato Namikaze, closed the thing and held it tightly close to her heart (arms crossed over it) with a closed eyed, delighted (almost fan-girlish) expression on her face. All that could be heard was a high-pitched, "sQUEE!"
She decided all of them would sit down and have a little talk. Fugaku would naturally have to be there (against her wishes of course, she never did get along with her former teammate).
Whatever Minato expected to greet him after another valiant fight against the evil forces of paperwork, it wasn't his wife beaming at him and forcing him onto the couch and putting a tea in his hand. When asked about this, she only said to be patient and they had company coming over. Whatever it was wasn't good. Maybe she finally got and trained her Squirrel Army (she always swore one day she'd do it).
Over at the Uchiha household, Mikoto and Fugaku were reading over Kushina's message for a tenth time. Mikoto feeling a bit nervous and Fugaku already feeling the headache.
The message read: Both you guys gotta come over. There are things we need to talk about... Squee.
They both a similar line of thought, "Did she finally get her squirrel army?"
Both agreed that it was in the village's best interest to let her get this outta her system. They reluctantly agreed to go visit and put whatever this was behind them. Little did they know, that was going to be harder than they thought, so much harder.
When they arrived, Kushina eagerly opened the door and dragged Mikoto to their four person couch before shooting a quick glare at Fugaku who could only roll his eyes. She sat the poor Uchiha woman right next to her husband and, just like with the blond guy next to her, shoved a tea in her hands. She then took a seat across the coffee table from the couch. Fugaku took the only available seat next to Kushina's chair.
He was also the first to break the silence, "Alright, I give, what's this about?"
All he got was Kushina sticking her tongue out at him like a five year old before turning back to the two across from them. She fished out the journal and the photo from her pocket and set them on the coffee table (journal open to the first drawing).
One word came out of her mouth, "Explain."
They both went stiff and dropped their tea. Faces covered with a horrified expression. Luckily, they knew this day was coming and had a backup plan of sorts. It was a seal assisted genjutsu that told the whole story for them, mainly because they were too embarrassed to say even a single world.
Quickly running through the hand signs and activating the seal, Minato turned to Mikoto and nodded. That was her que to cast the pre-prepared illusion.
It started when they were all still about thirteen years old. Little Minato was under a tree in an empty training ground, writing in a very familiar notebook. That's when he heard the sound of kunai hitting a training post. He decided to investigate and and went to where the sound came from.
What he found was his teammate practicing her throwing style. Minato just stood there watching her as only one thought crossed his mind.
'She's really pretty.'
That's when she noticed him standing there. He flushed a bit when wiped some sweat from her head. He had crush on her since their academy days, never quite finding the right words. Her hair was a sight he never got tired of, eyes were things of beauty and body was a work of art. It was no wonder she had her fanclub.
"Hey Minato, what are you doing here?"
That pulled him from his thoughts, also caused his blush to go up a notch.
"Um, I was just working on my notes and heard your training. So I decided to investigate."
He said all this while looking away from her and nervously running the back of his head.
"You wanna train with me?" She asked, giving him one of beautiful smiles she was known for.
He blush wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, "U-uh, Sure! I could always use some help in this area."
"Believe me, I know." She deadpanned.
And this is how they started meeting up weekly and training together before heading to get some ramen afterwards. It was during one of these meetings that Kushina made her appearance in the small stand.
"Hey old man! I'm gunna beat my record this time I just know it!" This was an ongoing thing with the owner of the ramen shop. If she beat the record number of bowls eaten, the meal was free. Risky, but she failed more often than not.
As he went about making her first bowl, she turned he attention to the two sitting on the other end.
"You guys on a date or something?"
Minato nearly choked on his noodles.
Mikoto looked thoughtful, finger on her chin and all, "I guess it is kinda like a date. So yes, yes we are."
This time he did choke on his noodles. Luckily Kushina was quick to pull him from his seat and gut punch him. This forced the ramen out of his throat. After coughing them up, he sent a small glare at her from his position on the floor. That hurt, a lot.
"I saved your boyfriend, you owe me one ya' know. Paying for my food if I lose this bet should do the trick." She was an extortionist.
"Okay, thank you for that." Replied Mikoto.
The present Kushina was wondering why she didn't remember this. The answer came when the first bowl made its way Infront of her and was devoured in seconds. Minato used this as a distraction to slip him a Mikoto out of the stand before she noticed.
"So, I guess I'm your boyfriend now?" Minato asked in an unsure tone. He was rubbing the back of his head and trying not to look at Mikoto. He still couldn't believe his luck.
"Of course silly. Did you not hear me back there?" She then grabbed his hand, lancing the fingers together.
He flashed her that bright grin of his and it suddenly became her turn to blush, "I'll take you home."
"I'd love that."
They talked about everything, their parents (or parent in Minato's case), their plans for the future. It quickly turned into a joke telling session and by the time they made it back to the Uchiha compound they were laughing like idiots. That was the best night of their lives so far.
"This is my stop." She said before turning and planting a kiss on Minato's cheek and skipping inside.
He just stood there for a bit, too stunned to move. The only thing that saved him was the fear of his mother's ladle of doom. That and his desire to tell her his good news. His mom already knew of his little crush (I mean really, who didn't?) but this was big news. Unfortunately the ladle of doom made no exceptions, not even for love struck idiots.
Back at the Ichiraku Ramen, Kushina was wondering where her two new friends went. She really didn't need them as she one the bet but still, it'd be nice to hang out. Wasn't there something new about them? Eh, oh well, couldn't have been too important if it was forgettable. So, she just shrugged and went home. Now to find some chickens for planned chicken ANBU squadron.
All the present people (sans Kushina who naturally thought it was a great idea) sweat dropped at that.
'That's my wife for you.' The thought ran across Minato's mind.
Little Minato was already planning the next date, he wanted it to be perfect. Training and ramen wasn't a very good standard. Hey, at least it put her expectations in his favor by setting them low. After a few days of thinking it over he he decided on star gazing in a secluded training ground. It was affordable, simple and amazing. In a word, perfect for a second 'first date.'
Mikoto was dreaming of the future, in all of the ones she imagined, he was there with her.
Their adult forms blushed and shift uncomfortably, looking anywhere but each other.
Little Kushina was distracted from her chicken hunt and instead chose to pick a fight with her teammate Fugaku. Someone had to remove the stick from his ass and she just the girl for the job.
There was a low growling among the adults and everyone turned to see adult Fugaku giving Kushina a stern look. His wife knew he was getting pissed. The redhead just stuck her tongue out at him.