CHAPTER 2

"Impossible Love"

Minato sat in the kitchen at his and Naruto's home, a cup of coffee in his hand and the letter from the Eagle masked Anbu in the other. His thoughts swirled as he tried to figure out how to tell Naruto that Sasuke was only getting darker…he'd managed to kill Orochimaru. Saved Minato the problem of having to do that himself, but still…. He'd upped the search for Orochimaru ten-fold after Orochimaru had killed Sarutobi. Minato had been doing an important mission in another village but it had been too far and Minato hadn't been notified of the events except for when he'd returned. Naruto was in the Land of the Waves with Kiba and Hinata and wouldn't be getting back until later today so Minato figured he'd get some more paperwork done. The thought of all those stacks waiting for him caused him to wince, he hadn't signed up for that part of the job when he took the title but somebody has to do it so he finished his coffee and got ready to go.

He washed his cup in the sink and glanced towards the fridge seeing a sticky note posted to it. Curious he read it:

Hey Dad,

When I get back from my mission can you make some time so that we can chat? There's something that's been on my mind and I think you're the only one that can help me. Another thing, You've been withdrawn lately and I don't know why. You've also looked thinner so be sure to eat three times a day, even if you have to skip work! Promise? Ok! Good.

Love,

Naruto

P.S. if I get info on Sasuke, I'll be sure to check in with you!

Minato smiled and pocketed the sticky note, thinking about Naruto's rushed scrawl and how even though he was now 16, his writing was still as messy as a five year old's. Since Minato knew the general area where Sasuke had last been, he decided to check into that once he'd tackled some paperwork. I really need to get a secretary or something…Minato groaned. The problem was that any woman he tried being friendly with had ended up thinking he would fall in love with them and Minato knew that no one could replace Kushina. Pervy Sage had told Minato that he was inhuman for living the rest of his life without experiencing the joy of women and Minato had retaliated by saying that he'd date once Tsunade said yes to his ex-sensei.

Speaking of Tsunade, Minato wondered if she was still off gambling. Probably.

Arriving at the office, he was surprised to see Kakashi waiting for him.

"Kakashi?" Minato said surprised, "What brings you here? Business or?"

"Nah, I just wanted to say hi since I was in this neck of the woods…" Kakashi shrugged.

"Oh…well I have a crap-load of paperwork…" Minato sighed, "…Don't think I'll have much time to hang out…sorry Kakashi…"

"Well…I thought if you needed some assistance, I'd be more than willing to maybe, help lighten your load," Kakashi offered.

Minato's face lit up, "Serious?"

"You've been working really hard and actually," Kakashi scratched his head, "Naruto wanted me to keep an eye on you, you know, make sure you don't keel over from fatigue sort of thing…and I'm a little worried too. You need to balance your work life with your personal free time…"

"I like keeping busy I guess," Minato sighed, and he sat in his chair, secretly happy that he had such a caring son like Naruto. He was also thankful for Kakashi who was always a big help.

They worked until the sun was in the middle of the sky, and then Minato stretched, feeling hungry and rather satisfied since a long while. He caught Kakashi staring at him and decided since he had Kakashi's attention to ask something that had been on his mind. "How's Rin?" Minato inquired, smirking at Kakashi. Kakashi's face remained excellently composed as he stared Minato in the eyes, onyx eyes staring back at azure eyes.

"She's good… she still likes me though…even though I've established we're just friends." Kakashi shrugged, taking another file and beginning to rifle through it and Minato frowned.

" Well I personally think she's really loyal though, and in addition, she is kinda cute," Minato winked at Kakashi and smiled amused as a faint flush appeared on Kakashi's otherwise, light tanned face. "She'd be really good I believe. I don't know how far back, but surely there was some connection that started. I'd know this feeling, trust me, and it's impossible to fight…"

Kakashi was silent as he began to stamp again. "Sensei…I am not like you and Kushina…at least, my love is…I'm not really into the whole love game you know? I find it rather annoying," Kakashi responded coolly.

"…You know…finding someone that genuinely likes you for you… it's rare. Rin, she's a good girl, I think that you should give her a chance, or is there a reason for why you don't think you deserve to be happy?" Minato pressed.

"Same reason as you sensei," Kakashi said lightly and Minato blinked not understanding. "…I'd be tarnishing Obito's memory if I lived my life happily with his girl…" Kakashi said softly. Minato didn't know what to say to that and cleared his throat, changing the subject so that Kakashi wouldn't become engulfed by his pain.

"Ah…well, now that I think about it, if you don't mind, the stack to the left is just simple little matters…if you could help me distribute missions, that would be swell," Minato said, giving his signature smile.

Kakashi nodded and there was a comfortable silence as the two ninjas worked. Minato heard familiar footsteps and looked up like Kakashi when he saw Naruto standing in the doorway. There were tears in his eyes that sent a jolt through Minato. He stood up abruptly but Naruto was gone in the next second and Kakashi looked at Minato's taken aback expression.

"I got things down here, you go on ahead…I think he heard our conversation and thought we were talking about you and Rin," Kakashi pointed out.

Minato gratefully nodded in his direction and not bothering to grab his hokage cloak, used the window as a shortcut to get to the outside world. He saw Naruto running down the dirt road towards the bustling village market and with god-like speed, the wind whistled shrilly in his ears as he pursued his son, thoughts rambling through his mind. He didn't know what about his conversation with Kakashi could've caused Naruto to think that he was in love with Rin of all people.

An impatient growl escaped from Minato as his son weaved in and out of the crowd in an expert manner –trying to lose him—using ninja tactics. Rather taken aback by the agility and the expert ability of evading him, Minato was forced to realize in his pursuit that Naruto was no longer that little boy that used to trip over his feet as he tried to run from Minato as Minato chased him in the living room. No, the ninja before him was still his son, but now an experienced fighter…Minato swept the market, spotting Naruto ducking in the direction of the training grounds.

Coming to the training grounds, he used one incredible burst of speed and tackled his son to the grass.

With disgruntled "oofs," Minato refused to let go of Naruto.

"Naruto! Let me explain please?" Minato pleaded, panting.

"No…nothin' to explain," Naruto said bitterly.

"NO look, I was trying to help Kakashi, I don't have interest in Rin, she's a decade younger than me! And you know I can't forget about your mother!" Minato rushed but was surprised when Naruto hugged him back real tight. The both smelled like grass, and a light breeze picked up ruffling through their hair. The three upright logs and memorial stone was off to their far left. The stream water was calmly trickling and they could both hear it well since their senses were super-human.

"That's…not what's bothering me," Minato heard his son whisper.

Now it was Minato's turn to be confused, "It- It's not?"

"No…." Naruto buried his face into his father's chest and Minato wrapped his arms around him, wondering what was bothering his son enough to make him actually cry.

"Then..what is it?" Minato tentatively inquired, cupping his son's face in his hands and a worried expression taking over and Naruto glanced down.

"…Nothin'…I just got something in my eyes is all…may be the pollen in the air or something," Naruto tried to push his dad away but Minato refused to budge.

"You can't lie to me…" Minato said quietly, nestling his head into Naruto's chest.

"…I suppose not…" Naruto said quietly.

"Well….if you really don't want to tell me…" Minato frowned.

"No it's not about lying…it's about telling the truth…" Naruto said slowly.

"Truth? Truth about what?" Minato pressed, wondering where the heck this conversation was going. He saw his son take a deep breath.

"No…I can't…" Minato heard his son whimper and his heart gave a jolt as he saw red eyes staring back at him.

He hadn't noticed Naruto go into the transformation and instinctively went to his ninja pouch to pull a seal but fox Naruto was too quick and instead Minato found himself pinned, fox Naruto leaning over him, their noses touching. Minato tried to find his voice. Minato's heart began to eradictly beat and he tensed, trying to figure out what his son was up to. A game? Mock fight? He searched his son's face, trying to figure out what his son was asking of him. He felt fox Naruto's hand brush against his cheek in a…caress?

"If Naruto won't say it, then I'll just help him a little," fox Naruto crooned.

"S-say what? Oi! Get off!" Minato gasped, surprised at the force at which he was pinned, unable to push back. When had Naruto gotten this strong? Minato was actually a little scared…not that he'd ever show it.

"Hmm…lemme think about that…no…" fox Naruto leaned in and before Minato could protest, he felt his son's lips pressing forcefully against his own and stifled a gasp as a tongue shot out and began to prod Minato's own.

Squirming, Minato was shocked at the intensity of the kiss and he was torn between wanting to fight fox Naruto's tongue and finishing the kiss. No way…what the hell…Minato thought, as his saliva began to trickle down the side of his mouth from the intense kiss. Minato dind't want to hurt his son but fox Naruto was scaring him. He managed to break free from fox Naruto's kiss, and Minato attempted to gasp out, "We'll be seen! Stop controlling Naruto and leave-" but he was cut off as fox Naruto licked his ear. Feeling his face flush from embarrassment, Minato did his best to stay composed. He was more confused than anything else and fox Naruto relentlessly began to kiss Minato's neck. Minato instinctively attempted to kick fox Naruto off –hoping Naruto'd forgive him—and successfully landed a blow to fox Naruto's abdomen. In a flash, Minato was the one on top of fox Naruto.

"You get it now?" fox Naruto said quietly.

"G-get what? You…stop controlling my son for your own twisted ends!" Minato angrily lashed, his grip turning his knuckles white.

"Ouch…you're hurting me…" fox Naruto said quietly, gazing back intensely into Minato's eyes, satisfied to a see a tinge of blush in his cheeks.

"…If Naruto has something to say…then let Naruto be the one to say it!" Minato said angry, "…Don't use Naruto as an excuse to do …whatever it was you were doing with me!"

"…So…you'd accept if he was the one giving you the kisses?" fox Naruto said, raising an eyebrow.

"Wh-what?" Minato said, voice wavering, "No! Naruto isn't perverted like you!"

"…But if he was?..." fox Naruto said quietly, gazing at Minato's confused expression.

"…Naruto's my son, and …and so there's no way he'd do that…besides, I'm pretty damn sure he likes Hinata…" Minato said, face blushing without his consent.

"…But if he was?..." fox Naruto repeated quietly, and Minato yelped as he was overturned once again. He managed to pull out a seal and attempted to slap it to fox Naruto's forehead but his hands were intercepted and Minato found his hands bound with ninja wire, and winced, knowing that struggling would cause the wire to cut into his wrists.

"H-hey!" Minato yelped, "What the hell do you think you're doing with my son's body?!" He was taken aback by the red eyes that seemed to wrap around his field of vision.

"Well…I only said that I'd help Naruto express himself, and I am…" the fox Naruto said lightly.

"Y-Yang, seriously!" Minato flared, "leave my son alone! You're probably the one corrupting him, aren't you! You think it's funny! Is this a way to get payback against me?! Fine, but don't bring Naruto into this! He has nothing to do with whatever the hell it is you're doing! If you don't let me go and release my son, I will-"

"Yes?" fox Naruto crooned.

Minato struggled to think of what he could say that would sound threatening enough but nothing came to mind and he finished rather lamely, "…I'll ground you …"

Fox Naruto barked an amused laugh, and Minato knew how lame he'd sounded…it was almost as though he was treating Yang like a second –more corrupted—son. "From where I am…you're the one that's already grounded," and fox Naruto smirked at Minato.

Minato blushed, and tried to find his voice again as he felt an index finger traveling down his neck and to his chest. "…Naruto…Naruto!" Minato pleaded and saw as the finger paused, and those familiar blue eyes began to fade back in and Minato was once again, looking into the tired and worried expression of his son.

"Pa…" Naruto murmured and then he slumped against Minato. Minato knew that Naruto must've been tired from the mission and must've been struggling for control with Yang. Awkardly, Minato wrapped his arms around his son, and then sat up. He needed to get the ninja wire off and he wasn't going to let anyone see that he, Yondaime Hokage, had almost been topped by his own son. Blushing, Minato used his teeth to unravel the wire and was sucessful. Pocketing the wire, he hugged his son, who mumbled something about ramen and Minato smiled relieved. He was concerned though because if Yang could control Naruto, then he'd have to figure out some way to help Naruto prevent Yang from gaining control like that again. Minato carried Naruto on his back and went home.