Disclaimer: Since my name does not even rhyme with Kishimoto, I believe it is rather clear I do not own anything of the Naruto franchise

"An Early Visitor."

Year 1

Over the past year since Teuchi had opened up his shop, he had gotten used to seeing a bright head of yellow hair and a brilliant smile occupying one of his barstools.

However, Teuchi was still startled when he came to open the shop one morning and saw that same yellow hair-ed boy asleep at the bar, a blanket clutched about his shoulders and his head pillowed in his arms.

He didn't say anything, but the ramen maker silently went about his work and waited for the smells of the running shop to do its work. Slowly Minato stirred, blinking sleepy blue eyes and rubbing the sleeve of his pajamas against them. Then he raised his head and stared at Teuchi, his face sleepy but oddly pinched and uncomfortable.

The ramen chef calmly went about his business, throwing his question casually over his shoulder. "What made you come here, so early in the morning?"

Minato looked down at the counter, and rubbed a finger along it's top in a pattern only he understood. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. "The Jounin Commander came to my house last night. He… he said mom and dad aren't coming back."

"Ah." Said Teuchi, and began assembling the ingredients for a miso ramen (with extra naruto, just the way Minato-chan liked it).

"Aunt Momo is going to take care of me now, but…" Minato's voice trailed off, and he bit his lip. "She's not a shinobi, though, and doesn't want me to be one either, after… after dad…"

"Well?" Teuchi said, scooping up and straining some noodles. "What do you want?"

Little hands curled into tight fists, and pale brows lowered over serious blue eyes. "I… mom and dad always said they were shinobi 'cause that made them able to protect me, and Konoha, and everyone! They're… gone… but I wanna protect their dream, and become a shinobi and protect everyone in the village!" With each word, his confidence blazed up, and Minato sat straight, his features lightening and brightening with resolve. Then all of a sudden he wilted, and drew his blanket tighter about himself. "But the house… it's awful empty."

The ramen chef carefully placed a big bowl of ramen in front of Minato. The six-year-old's head jerked up, and he stared at Teuchi, wide eyed in astonishment.

Teuchi knew what it was like to lose both parents, though he was lucky he hadn't been quite so young. It was difficult and he'd struggled to make ends meet, which ended up in the birth of his restaurant.

But he still remembered what the loneliness felt like.

"This one's on the house. After all, you spent the night in my shop, and you'd best get somethin' warm in you before you come down with a fever." Minato stared at the bowl, biting his lip to keep from drooling.

"Still," Teuchi continued, catching Minato's bright blue eyes and piercing him with a stern gaze, "This is only this one time—if you came tonight, for instance and ordered a bowl, you'd have to pay… though if you come near closing time the price might be discounted."

The blonde head shot up, and a wide, bright smile stretched across his face. "I'll remember that, Teuchi-san!"

Teuchi smiled back at him and went about wiping down the counter. "Good! Now eat up, before it gets cold!"

Minato had no qualms with prevented that tragedy, and the two of them talked until the sun rose and Minato had to run off to the academy.

And for years and years afterwards, when the sun set and the shops began to close, a boy with blonde hair could be seen sitting at the ramen stand, where the coldness and emptiness of his house could not touch him.

Author's Notes:

Here you go! I had sudden inspiration on how I wanted this chapter to go, so here it is! I hope you enjoy it, and see you next time!