status ongoing
prompt august rush
warnings language
pairings minato/kushina
disclaimer i do not own naruto
notice i deleted this story due to copyright infringerment. it contained copyrighted musical lyrics, which is against the guidelines of the site. so, this is the edited version, lyrics-free.

1. Hey You

"A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence."

Minato whistled a tune as he walked to the park. His guitar bag was hung over his shoulders and his hands were stuffed in his worn-out jeans' pockets. The park was only a five minute walk from his apartment, but he usually made it in ten minutes, because he liked to stop walking every now and then to admire the beauty of the trees and flowers planted in the park.

When he reached his spot in the park – a bench next to a small fountain, the blond man sat down and took out his guitar. Softly, he ran his hands through the strings, letting a sweet sound emerge from the instrument. He loved his guitar. But mostly, he loved music. It was his only way out of his monotonous life.

Minato was about to start playing one of his own songs on his guitar – Avalon, when his baby blue eyes came to rest on a figure resting with her back against a giant tree across from him. She had bright red hair tied in a high ponytail with a few lone crimson strands falling on her face gently. She was looking through some papers, while a guitar lied in her lap.

With a bright smile, Minato stood up, picked up his guitar and its bag and started walking towards the young woman with the guitar. It made him happy to see other people visiting the park and playing the guitar in public, not in the least afraid to express what they felt. They world definitely needed more people like him. By the time he reached her spot, she was playing a soft tone on the guitar. He grinned when a pair of magnetizing hazel eyes locked their gaze with his.

"Can I help you?" she asked with a confused look on her face.

Minato nodded towards her guitar. "What're you playing?"

"Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here', why?" she answered.

"Wanna try a duet?"

The young woman's eyes drifted from Minato's face to the guitar on his hands and she finally nodded. "Sure, why not? Suit yourself."

Minato nodded in return as a 'thanks' and sat down across from her, placing his guitar bag on the grass and his guitar on his lap. Exchanging a brief nod, the two individuals stroke their guitars' strings.

Minato let her take the leading guitarist's role, playing the right chords with a concentrated look on her face. He joined her soon, backing her playing while stroking his guitar tenderly. Sometimes he didn't think of it as an inanimate object, but an extension of himself.

The two young guitarists' voices came out in unison, singing the wonderful lyrics of the song softly. Minato loved Pink Floyd, and especially this song, for it held so many emotions and meanings behind the lyrics and soft background music.

The song ended with a completely synchronized solo. The two young adults smiled at each other, satisfied by their co-operation's product. Even though they had just met, chemistry sure existed.

"I've got to admit – you've got potential," Minato said excitedly.

"Thanks. I can say the same thing about you," the woman replied.

Minato grinned. "I think I have something more than just potential. I'm the upcoming musician of the decade, y' know?"

She rolled her eyes. "How modest."

"Just wait and see. One day, my name will be all over the news," Minato rambled.

"Only if you murder the President," she argued sarcastically.

Minato frowned but quickly shook it off and smirked. "And here, you just lost the privilege of having a free pass in my future concerts."

She rolled her eyes again and stuffed some papers in her guitar case. "Like I have any time for concerts."

"Quite the busy one, aren't you?" Minato teased.

"Well, yeah. I'm studying art," she answered truthfully.

Minato scratched the back of his head. "So, you… paint stuff?"

She chuckled. "Simply put, yes."

"Cool," he said with a grin. "Isn't it a little expensive to attend an art's school?"

"Quite. But my parents cover my expenses. Say, what about you?"

"I'm the less fortunate fella. I'm working as a photographer in the Daily Notion, but only temporarily, until I become a famous rock star," Minato explained with pride.

The woman looked interested. The boy sure had some goals in his life. "Do you write songs?"

"Hell yeah! Wanna hear?" Minato asked eagerly. He was looking out for someone to give a listen to the song he came up lately. When the woman shrugged, Minato's hands hit the chords.

The particular song wasn't his best work so far, but it was the first that came in mind. Years later, when recalling their first meeting, he would frown at the fact that the first song he had ever played for her was a break-up song. It almost seemed like they were doomed to break up one day.

However, the girl watched him closely, mesmerized by the way he stroked the strings and mouthed the lyrics as if they were engraved in his brain. In a way, they were.

As soon as Minato's hands played the last chord, she found her jaw almost dropping on the floor. The song was simply astonishing. The melody, the lyrics, his confident style of playing – it was all unique.

"Whoa," she muttered, the excitement clear in her voice. "That was… wonderful."

"Well, I guess that's gotta be worth something since I'm self-taught," Minato said proudly.

The young woman looked puzzle headed. "Wait – you mean you never took guitar lessons and you're this good?"

"I've taken about three to four lessons as a kid, just to learn the basics. You?"

"Two years' lessons," she said and looked at the ground, feeling suddenly ashamed of herself.

"It's fine," he said. "Don't go comparing yourself to me. All I live for is music. I breathe, eat and sleep music. It's in my blood."

"Well, it's a little embarrassing that I've taken so many lessons and still, I'm not nearly as good as you. You're a natural."

Minato waved his hand. "It's all about practise. You spend time with the guitar?"

"As much as I can. I've tried writing some songs, too, but…"

Minato interrupted her. "That's great! Let's hear them."

She looked at his with a puzzled expression. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah! Aw, come on! It's not like I'm gonna judge you or anything!" he said when he saw her hesitation. "We're just two creative minds sharing our inspiration!"

She sighed deeply. "Fine. But if you laugh, I'll smack you."

Minato held his hands up in a defensive position. "Okay! I promise, I won't laugh!"

She nodded with a smirk and softly stroked the strings of her acoustic guitar.

Minato concentrated hard on the way her hands tensed as she played her song. She wasn't feeling it the way she should have. She was all tense and focused solely on her fingers as she played, careful not to make any mistakes and embarrass herself in front of the talented stranger. He knew it since then that she was a perfectionist.

The song itself wasn't bad. It was about relationships, naturally, and the way that she was the one to do the chase and enjoy it, while she was never a relationship kind of person. She had commitment issues, and while she loved to pursue the person she was into, when it came to finally settling down with them, she backed away.

Minato was so caught up in trying to interpret the lyrics that he didn't realise that the song had ended a few seconds ago. His lips pulled back in a grin though, as soon as he'd reached a conclusion.

The woman looked up from her guitar to Minato with an expecting look, to find the expression on his face rather satisfying. The grin on his lips was evidence enough that he enjoyed her song. She smiled at him in a gentle way.

"Did you like it?" she asked expectantly.

Minato thought for a moment. "Will I get smacked, if I give some piece of advice?"

She laughed softly. "Go ahead."

He nodded. "Well, the song was very good; great match between the lyrics and the melody, though you did miss a few chords," she shot him a glare, "but the problem is, you are too tense when you're playing."

She wasn't expecting that. "Excuse me?"

"The way you hold the guitar, the way you play… it shows how tense you are. If you want to become better, you have to relax. If you keep being too tight, you won't make any progress. You have to feel the music."

She sighed deeply. "I guess you're right."

"What? No smacking?"

She raised her eyebrow suggestively. "Masochistic much?"

"Nah. Just kidding," Minato said with a bright grin.

Silence fell between the two young adults. Minato ran his hands through his guitar's strings lovingly and the woman couldn't help but notice. He was protective of his guitar. He loved the instrument like a living being. She looked around to see children playing, old people sitting on benches and talking, young couples walking around holding hands… The park was a beautiful place to visit, especially in spring, when you could find people of every age. It always brought a smile on her lips.

Minato noticed the smile on the woman's face and smirked. "So, you come here often?" he asked in a fake flirty tone.

She mentally groaned. The last thing she wanted was him to start using pick up lines and try to get in her pants. And he seemed so nice until now. "Okay, I think it's time to leave." She made a move to stand up, but his laugh stopped her. She raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Did it actually sound like a pick-up line?" He stopped until his laughter died down. "Sorry. I was serious, though. Do you visit the park often?"

Glad that he wasn't trying to hit on her, she said, "As much as my schedule allows me. With the college and all, I don't have much time for walks."

"Hey, whatever happens, don't give up music. You're talented."

She felt a small blush rising on her cheeks. "Thanks."

He smiled gently. "And by the way – I'm Minato Namikaze."

"Kushina Uzumaki."

They shook their hands and smiled at each other. Kushina stood up soon after and gathered her stuff.

"You leaving?" Minato asked. He was hoping to spend more time with her.

"Yeah, I have a lot of homework to do. College's a nightmare," she said with a roll of her eyes. Kushina slung her guitar bag over her right shoulder and looked at Minato. "Will I meet you again?"

"Can't get enough of me, huh?" he asked teasingly.

Kushina blushed and muttered 'moron' under her breath. "I have some more songs I'd like you to check out. Plus, you seem like an interesting person. We might have a lot in common."

"I'm sure we do. I mean, you love music and that's good enough for me," Minato said with a grin. "Anyways, I'm hanging out here every day, unless it rains."

Kushina nodded. "Cool. So, see you around then?"

"See you around then," he replied.

With a bright smile, Kushina took off for her apartment, feeling a little light-hearted. Minato was a very interesting guy with humor and was also quite mature. She couldn't wait to spend more time with him and get to know him better.

Minato watched the flame-haired girl walk away and disappear into the distance. He lay down on the grass with his hands tucked behind his head. Kushina sure was an attractive person and a very interesting one nevertheless. Since he saw her holding the guitar, Minato knew she was something special. He found himself smirking when he thought that now there was one more reason to visit the park daily.

That day was the first day in a wonderful relationship between two young souls, very different from one another, but, at the same time, similar like two drops of water.