A/N: I don't see many fan fictions that ship the two male protagonists (seriously, there are hardly any), so I decided to write this as a contribution. The relationship will be platonic for awhile because I like my slow burn, sorry! Side pairings will probably happen, but I have yet to set any potential pairings in stone. I'm not sure how much I will deviate from canon (like deaths of characters) either, but it's something I'm giving great thought about.
I hope you enjoy and please review or private message your thoughts! I would love to hear about what you think.
Minato couldn't recall much from that night on the bridge. All he could remember was the screeching of tires, his mother's screams, and his father's panicked swerve of the car. Then his vision quickly faded to black. The next time he regained consciousness, he was awake in a room filled with dreary colors. The first thing he did was question about his parents from a rather quiet and awkward nurse tending to him. That was when he learned that they didn't survive.
Those who came to visit him came in plentiful quantities at first, but it slowly dwindled until no one could be bothered. The scars were healed from what Minato heard them say, but that was a lie to the young boy. There was an empty feeling inside him that refused to go away. He bottled it up and refused to cry in front of anyone. His relatives thought it was strange and that he should be ashamed for expressing nothing. Of course it wasn't said directly to him, but he can hear their whispers, the web of deception, and their facial expressions said all he needed to know.
Gradually, he began to disconnect himself from others. He purposely isolated himself from everyone and the process began to become like second nature to him. He developed apathy judging from what the nurses say, but it didn't matter to him. The only person who seemed to care about him was his doctor. He watched over him, actively tried to converse with him, and was the only constant part of his life.
One day, Minato sat in his bed watching the rain drizzle down the window in front of him. It was another quiet and calm day for the young boy. Then suddenly his doctor entered the room despite it not being the time he usually comes by. It was very jarring and uncharacteristic of him to say the least. The doctor gave him a weary smile and patted Minato on the head.
"How are you doing today?" he asked. Minato blinked at his doctor, somewhat ditsy from the lack of sleep. The thick cobwebs that were his ears didn't register at all what he said. The older man sighed, "Still not sleeping?" he questioned more slowly this time.
Minato shook his head in response. It was useless to lie to this man and it was something he learned throughout his time here. He continued to stare at the window blankly because he thought that the conversation was done. The doctor sat in a nearby chair and frowned. In response, Minato tilted his head in confusion at the melancholy mood of his usually cheerful doctor.
The other took notice since he asked, "No one has visited you in awhile?"
The younger boy slowly nodded and gripped the white sheets covering him. He didn't mind. The boy would rather be alone than face being fake or acting like he doesn't know anything.
"I see," the man slowly responded as if thinking about something. He rose from his seat and said the usual farewell before leaving Minato alone with his thoughts. He was an odd man, so Minato shrugged and let the meeting fade from his mind.
The next day, his doctor arrived even earlier than last time. The boy was still trying to sleep that early morning and was alerted to a presence from the loud click of a door handle. He quietly grumbled his annoyance and slowly lifted his body from its cozy spot. He made eye contact with the doctor, who was acting even more stranger than yesterday. He would always say a greeting, ask him how he was doing, and perhaps other pleasantries to start a conversation. He would never sneak around like this.
"Ah, I apologize. I didn't think I would wake you," he said while opening the curtains. Blinding sunlight filtered into the room. It made the small boy cover his eyes, with the back of his hand, from the blinding light. The doctor turned to him with a bouquet of yellow roses in hand. Minato eyed him curiously, wondering what he wanted to say or do. The doctor said nothing as he placed the bouquet into an empty vase. The flowers looked healthy, full of life, and it brought color into an otherwise boring room.
"Why?" the young boy asked.
The doctor responded, "To breathe some life into the room. It looks better now, don't you think so?"
He shook his head. "There's another reason. I ask again, why?"
"Do I need a reason?"
The boy was at a loss on how to question the man further. He was being awfully evasive about his true intentions. No one was nice for no reason. Humans always acted to gain something and this situation was not an exception in the reasoning of the young boy. Even though he couldn't express himself well, Minato could judge others' motivations fairly well to make up for it. He decided to drop the topic for the time being, but he would bring it up in a better situation.
His doctor made no further comment and left the room.
Minato tossed and turned in the sheets throughout the night. It was his most dreaded part of the day for him. Those nightmares about that fatal night kept haunting him when he slept. When he was awake, there were words that kept constantly repeating in his head. Self depreciating words, ones that he wanted to go away, but couldn't. An endless dark downward spiral that spawned more as time went on. He started to believe those words as they contained a bit of truth to him.
The flowers nearby glowed from the moonlight. He watched the roses dance with each other from a gentle breeze. The slow waltz was short lived as the wind abruptly stopped and life in the room was still once more.
Yellow roses.
Minato dug through his memories and tried to remember what his mother told him. "Flowers have their own language," she used to say. None of it made sense to him as plants couldn't speak. If only they could.
"I wish for a friend. Someone who could relate. Someone who would listen. Someone who needs me like I need them," Minato mumbled to himself. He wasn't sure what sugary nonsense he was spouting out, but deep down he knew he wanted his plea to be heard.
He glanced at a clock hung on a wall. It was almost that time where everything in the room would have a green tint, water would turn to pools of red, and the clock would stop ticking. He never left his room when this happened. Instead, he opted to wrap a blanket around himself and wait for time to pass. He would hear whispers telling him to leave the room, but he didn't dare. This night was no exception.
Minato curled up and buried his head under the sheets. No one would believe him about this hidden time.
His doctor arrived later than usual the next day. More specifically, in the afternoon, which never happened. It was always in the morning, never later. He blinked at his doctor while he was checking him.
"Have you been eating? You're awfully pale."
Minato remained static and didn't nod or shake his head. The other sighed, but stood up. What he said next baffled the young boy.
"I think you're well enough to go outside. Build an appetite by exercising, I say. Who knows, it might help with your sleeping issues too."
"Do I have to?"
"I recommend you do so."
Minato internally groaned. It wasn't that he hated going outside, but there wasn't much to do other than sit in the sunlight. The doctor was already pushing him out the door though, so there wasn't anything he could do.
The two parted ways near the entrance of the hospital. He debated on going back to his room, but there was no doubt that the older man would check on him when he got the chance. The only safe choice was to go outside.
The glass doors slid open as he stepped near. Glaring rays of sunlight caused him to blink a few times for his eyes to adjust. Once it did adjust, he noticed a tall fountain situated in the middle of a plaza. People were gathered around it holding coins. He watched them curiously as they threw yen into the gushing water and simply let it sink to the bottom. Minato wondered what the purpose for each person was: for wealth, for the life of another, or a wish similar to his.
Eventually, the crowd dispersed into different directions after finishing what they sought to do.
He walked over to the fountain and stared at the flowing water. All the coins gathered were individual wishes and there were many. He blinked at the various different amounts thrown in. Did the amount relate to whether or not the wish will be granted?
He pondered the question while watching the water. It was rather peaceful watching the ripples, but as he focused on his reflection he grimaced.
He really didn't look that great. It was apparent that he has been having a lack of sleep and among other problems. Minato dipped a finger into his reflection and swirled the water. He would rather not look at himself any further.
Minato hardly noticed when another person joined him there until they threw a small coin into the fountain.
He raised an eyebrow at the sudden stranger next to him. The boy was around the same height as him, but he held a more meek air judging from how he tried to make himself look small. He also looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn't figure out why or how.
"Oh, um, sorry. I didn't mean to bother you." The stranger reached into his pockets and took out another coin. He closed his eyes for a few moments and flicked the coin into the clear water. Afterwards he looked at Minato and asked, "I haven't seen you around here before. Are you a new patient?"
Minato blinked as he pondered the question. In truth, he didn't know how long he had stayed here. All time became meaningless when he hardly stepped out of his room. The other must have found the silence uncomfortable because he apologized, "Sorry if I hit a sore spot."
Minato shook his head. "No, you didn't. I'm not a new patient. At least, I think I'm not new."
The other raised an eyebrow at that. Not that he could blame him since that answer was quite strange. He lowered his gaze to the fountain and then back to Minato again.
"I'm guessing you met my dad?"
"Your dad?"
The boy nodded. "Yes, he's one of the few doctors here. There's been a lot of patients lately, so he has to work a lot."
Things began to click in his head.
"I think your dad is my doctor."
"...Silver eyes? Brown hair? Really tall?" Minato nodded. "Yes, it's my dad."
At the realization, Minato noted that the stranger and his dad were somewhat similar in appearance and personality. He mentally slapped himself with how he couldn't make the connection before. Meanwhile, the other looked at the fountain again while being completely oblivious to Minato's thoughts. The boy sighed and frowned.
"Oh, I just remembered I have to go somewhere," the doctor's son said.
Minato tilted his head. "Then just go?"
He blinked with a somewhat bewildered look. "Ah... Yeah." he nervously laughed. He opened his mouth and then hesitated. The boy shook his head, "I'll see you around?"
He didn't want to make any promises. Especially when he knew that another meeting wasn't guaranteed.
"Maybe we will," Minato replied.
By the time the other boy left, he realized that he never learned his name.
