Warning: kind of angsty and un-betaed and maybe some ooc.
Pairing: Kushina/Minato
I have no idea if anyone has done this before but I'm giving it a shot. Plus, I'm sure I'm not following the canon storyline at some parts because it has been a while since I watched/read Naruto and this is my point of view so its probably inaccurate. But I hope you enjoy it!
When she was five, Uzumaki Kushina was terrified, terrified of the war happening all around her. She could not fathom why people were fighting. Why can't we all just live together in harmony? The horrifying scenes of blood and gore were found in every corner she turned to. People she deemed as brothers and sisters left and never came back, their reassuring promises all crumbling like ashes. When Uzumaki Kushina was five, she was terrified.
When she was six, Uzumaki Kushina was lost. A new place, new sights, and most of all, she recognised no one except for Great Grandma Mito. She couldn't understand why she was sent to this village with no prior notice, there was nothing that remotely reminded her of home, she suddenly felt a stab of jealousy poking at her, it was so peaceful here. Even after those dreadful years in Uzushio, she felt lonely. She was clueless as to why they had sent her here, she had no special talents, nor was she a genius. Clueless she was.
It was only after a while did she find out that she was to be a jinchuuriki just because she had special chakra. She was devastated that she was treated just like a tool. Great Grandmother Mito's consoling and gentle words put her back together again and when Uzumaki Kushina was six, she became a little wiser, a little stronger.
When Uzumaki Kushina was seven, she had a dream, a dream to become the hokage so that the future generation would not suffer from sleepless nights like she does, reliving the dark moments of her past that was like a horror movie set on repeat. She spots a little blonde hair guy staring at her after beating up those godforsaken boys that would not stop teasing her about her red hair and round face. He, too declared on his desire to be the hokage. He's such a wimp, if he became the Hokage, konoha would fall into anarchy. Little does she know that one of them had managed to achieve their dreams and when Uzumaki Kushina was seven, she unknowingly found a rival in the least likely of people.
When Uzumaki Kushina was fourteen, she lost yet again to that flaky boy. she seethed in anger, how is he such a genius at everything he does? She stalks home angrily, not knowing the impending danger that was about to strike. Thankfully, a little flaky boy managed to find the trail of red she leaves behind and she thought maybe he wasn't such a wimp at all. She doesn't tell him that though and when she hears his confession on how he thinks her wretched tomato red hair was beautiful, she doesn't hate him anymore. When Uzumaki Kushina was fourteen, she fell in love with a little flaky boy which she once teased so mercilessly.
When she was fifteen, Uzumaki Kushina realizes that she likes Namikaze. She is secretly glad that Namikaze had asked her to teach him the art of sealing, which was pretty much the only thing that she was better at than he was. She could spend more time with him and she felt good for the fact that he was bad at something that was as natural as breathing air for her. A little petty, but I'll take what little leverage over him that I have. she thought. It wasn't long until the ever so powerful rumour mill of konoha started the age old debate of "Are they going out together?" amongst the villagers when they see that wherever one goes, the other follows but with the help of many grudging denials from the two of them the rumours died down and when Uzumaki Kushina was fifteen, she realises that she loves Namikaze Minato.
When she was seventeen, Uzumaki Kushina was came clean, she told Namikaze that she was a jinchuuriki. She expected the worst. She was terrified that he viewed her as nothing but a monster. She feared rejection from him, because she knew it would be exceptionally painful. Her worries were all unnecessary though as all he did was nod his head in understanding before inviting her to another round of sparring. It was then and there that Uzumaki Kushina asked Namikaze to be her boyfriend. he agreed and the rumour mill of konoha started again but this time no one denied anything and at seventeen, Uzumaki Kushina found someone she could depend on for life.
When Uzumaki Kushina was nineteen, she was devastated. Her hometown was wrecked, the bare few of her kin had fled to other parts for safety and she had no way of contacting them. Suddenly she was an orphan and once again the nightmares that had became few and infrequent came back and gave her countless sleepless nights as she hears her family members in those haunting dreams calling her a betrayer. She was alone, like how she was when she first came to Konoha. However, she realises was not alone in this world, Namikaze and his cute students came knocking on the door of the empty mansion that she lived in. They had became her family over time and when Uzumaki Kushina was nineteen, she felt blessed.
When Uzumaki Kushina was twenty, she was fighting for her life in a mission. The Kiri-nin were just too persistent. But they were highly wanted ninjas that were blacklisted in just about every existing Bingo Book. The drawn out war depleted their manpower and it hurt when she saw Namikaze's cute little students deployed for missions in the war. She felt useless, she was supposed to be protecting their innocence damn it! As for her, she was sent out with Namikaze to set up some traps around the forests. Unfortunately, they had an unprecedented meeting with a gang of Kiri-nins and it was sad to say that they were pitifully outnumbered. So when cornered and left with no other solutions, they began their counterattack. A few close shaves later, she hears Namikaze shouting about how before it was too late, he should propose to her now. Her smart aleck reply was "SURVIVE THIS ONSLAUGHT AND CONSIDER US ENGAGED". And so he did. This was how at when she was twenty, Uzumaki Kushina agreed to marry Namikaze Minato.
When she was twenty-three, she became the wife of the 4th Hokage. It was ironic really but she no longer felt that the little flaky blonde would lead konoha down to the path of anarchy. She trusted him with her life and she wouldn't give him up for anything in the world. A little while later she would surprise him when she mentions that she would be out of commission for a good year. The news is music to his ears and they rejoice at the fact that their house will have one more person in it. Only later she learns of the complications of a jinchuuriki carrying a child, but she perseveres through, since she could finally have her own family. When Uzumaki Kushina was twenty-three, she was content.
When Uzumaki Kushina was twenty-four, she was exhausted. The labour pain sucked, she was tired, sweaty and most of all little baby Naruto was not out yet. She hears Minato's encouragements but she doesn't listen to them. She was busy cursing at him and dealing with the pain that she had been stuck with for the past few hours. A little part of her mind that was not clouded by the pain worried over the beast in her gut. She had managed to live with him for all these years but she just didn't quite trust him to not be tempted to escape considering the fact that being stuck in a cage in someone's gut was not the most fun thing an immortal sentient being would spend their time doing. She had come to terms with being his jinchuuriki over the years, and decided that maybe he wasn't such a monster as the people had called him although his horrible superior complex grated her nerves. So when naruto came out like a healthy baby boy he should be and with no nine-tailed beast in sight, she was relieved.
When Uzumaki Kushina was at death's door at the ripe old age of twenty-four, she was exhausted. She wasn't sure how she was alive after the extraction of the Kyuubi but she was and she was exhausted. She could hear the commotion outside and the occasional roars of the Kyuubi. She was worried. How had things come to this? She wondered bleakly, her dear husband was fighting an unknown masked man that had the power to control the great Kyuubi. Suddenly, she was in an open clearing. Naruto was crying in Minato's arms and the Kyuubi was right behind her. A small argument broke out but it was cut short when the Kyuubi attempted murder on her beloved child. She dashed towards the incoming claw, knowing all too well that it would be fatal but she would not let Naruto die before she did. She was filled with regret as she grudgingly agreed to Minato's idea. Regret for leaving this world so early. Regret for being so weak. Regret for making Minato sacrifice his life with her. Regret for so many things but the one thing she regretted the most was not being able to see Naruto grow up. She made most of her remaining time by nagging at little Naruto before he even opened his eyes. It was getting harder to breathe and her limbs were getting numb but she could finally go. For now.
I didn't really like how some parts went, so constructive criticism would be very helpful. Thank you!