(´･_･`)

Title: Melancholic
Summary: ...She couldn't handle a crying person and if someone needed advice, she was about as useful as a chocolate kettle. So when her fiance came home from his mission with red, puffy eyes and a look of complete horror and grief, she had no idea what to do. MinaKush. Pre-series.
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Rating: K+
Pairing(s): MinaKush

AN: This one-shot was originally supposed to go into a collection of Team Minato drabbles that I'm working on, but I decided that it wasn't focused enough on his team and was long enough to stand by itself. So, please enjoy and review :)

(´･_･`)

She was always an awkward person to be around (just ask Mikoto); she couldn't handle a crying person and if someone needed advice, she was about as useful as a chocolate kettle. And after her relationship with Konoha's Yellow Flash grew substantially to the point of marriage, her social retardation didn't get any better (in fact, she swore it got worse).

So when her fiancé came home from his mission with red, puffy eyes and a look of complete horror and grief, she had no idea what to do. He wasn't a brick wall - he'd cried in front of her before - but she'd never seen him look so...devastated. She decided not to ask and got out of bed silently, wrapped her arms around his torso, and led him to their bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, his cheeks and her t-shirt were soaked with tears and the room was filled with heartbroken sobs.

After what could have been hours, she felt his shoulders relax and his deep sobs turned into small hiccups and his tears slowed. Kushina frowned as blue eyes closed and he breathed deeply through his nose. "Do you wanna talk about it?" she asked cautiously.

Minato took a shaky breath and heaved himself up and off of the redhead. "Yeah...I guess so... I lost one today."

Kushina cocked her head and blinked, staring into cerulean eyes. "You lost one? What does that-?" Suddenly, it hit her like a freight train to the head. "You lost one? ...A...student?"

The blond nodded sadly and tears welled up again like pearls. She gasped in surprise and pulled him into another embrace. "Who was it?" If she was honest with herself, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

He hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Obito..." He knew that the Uchiha and Kushina had a bond; they always tricked each other and everyone else. They were like siblings in her eyes.

Kushina lowered her head and her red hair covered her now tear-stained face. "Oh...I see..."

The blond nodded. "He felt bad for not getting Kakashi a jounin gift...he said it would be easier to give him his eye." Kushina lifted her head, silently urging him to go on. "Kakashi lost his eye in battle...and Obito managed to activate his Sharingan while saving Rin - who got herself kidnapped by the enemy nin - so as a dying gift, he gave one of his eyes to Kakashi, in hopes that it would keep him safe," he explained; pride and sadness laced his voice. "He said..." Minato took a shaky breath before continuing, "He said, 'I'll become your eye...and see the future with you.'"

Kushina sat, unsure of what to say. "I'm...I'm so, so sorry, Minato."

He nodded. "He was excited, you know. About the wedding. He wanted to be a part of the ceremony." Minato chuckled sadly to himself as his eyes stared into the past - a distant memory. "He said he would be my best man...but Kakashi said he'd have to fight for it. You know, I don't think Kakashi really wanted to be my best man - of course, he would if I asked him; I know he would be honored - I think he just wanted to challenge Obito..."

There was a long, somber silence as they grieved. "I'll miss him..." Minato's voice trembled as one small tear slid down his cheek. Nothing else was said that night as the couple lie next to each other on top of the blankets and drifted into a dreamless sleep.