Idea: Minato is the young son of Kyuubi, when he is almost too young to remember, Kyuubi leaves him in the Village of Konoha where he grows powerful quickly. Minato doesn't remember that he is even a demon, much less who his father is. Years later when Madara attacks the village, Father and Son are pitted against each other in a desperate battle. Once the son manages to wrest control of his Father from Madara, The Kyuubi stops attacking.

Summary: Minato has always suspected that he wasn't an orphan, no matter what everyone else says, he just knows that his parents are out there. He has vague memories but nothing that would lead anyone anywhere. He's in for a big surprise.

Warnings: Het, OOCness, OCs

Disclaimer: Why does everyone assume I own them? I don't!

A HUGE thanks to the Unwanted Angel and HPNU92 for agreeing to be my Betas!

Title: Kyuubi's Son

(Meeting His Mate)

Once Minato had been named the cover story was easy enough, his parents had been half trained ninja turned merchants who had died when a caravan had been ambushed by bandits several weeks earlier.

His parents had survived only long enough for Minato to be left in the orphanage, which was where Minato was going to stay.

After Minato was left in Konoha the time seemed to almost fly by, every year Kybi would arrive and leave Minato a present for when he was older.

Other than being a bit on the small side, Minato was a very healthy, very happy youngster. Five years after being left in Konoha, he met... her...

For the rest of the day Minato could not keep his mind on his lessons. His eyes kept wandering over to the cute redhead that had appeared that morning and when she wasn't in class with him... Well, he just couldn't keep his mind off of her! "I'll talk to her after school." He vowed in the middle of their afternoon training, he didn't know that she had heard him.

In truth, Uzumaki Kushina found Namikaze Minato to be rather flaky, flaky but intriguing. Why would the genius of her class want to talk to her though? She didn't know. And yes, she had noticed that he seemed to like staring at her in class. She found it rather creepy; at least the kid was cute though...

Minato found himself blushing at the end of the day when he saw the beautiful redhead sitting on the lone swing in the yard. He put on his most charming smile (a smile that was identical to Kurama: the Kyuubi no Kitsune) and approached her. "Hi, I'm Minato... Would you ah..." Damn it why couldn't he finish his sentence? All she had done was turn and look at him with those mesmerizing purple-grey eyes of hers!

Kushina blinked, her eyes narrowing, "If you're asking me for a date then the answer is no." She got up to leave.

Minato's shoulders slumped as he watched the prettiest girl in the world walk away from him, "...Be my friend...?" Tears gathered in his eyes, why had she shot him down? He wasn't even asking for a date! He plopped down on the swing fighting tears of sadness and frustration.

Kushina looked back at the boy from the gate. "What's eating him now?" she wondered before shrugging, "Oh well, it's not my business, Salt Ramen here I come!" She sped off, looking for a Ramen Stand to have dinner at.

Under the solid demon Genjutsu that hid his ears and tail, one of his ears twitched, so... his girl liked Salt Ramen? Maybe if he made her some and present it to her at lunch she'd agree to be his friend? After all, he had to be his mate's friend first...

The next day Minato had trouble sitting still as he waited for lunch to be called, in his bag was a carefully sealed bowl of hot homemade Salt Ramen for his mate to try next to his own Bento. Minato couldn't wait to present it to her, Kushina looked rather hungry from where he was sitting so...

Kushina sighed unhappily as the bell rang for lunch, she'd forgotten to buy groceries for the week and her cupboards were empty, no breakfast or lunch for her today...

Minato grinned as he got up and made his way to her. He gently placed his bag on the ground and pulled out the bowl, "Here,"

Kushina blinked up at him and sniffed at what he'd given her, her eyes widened in delight as she opened it. "Thank you Minato!" She dug into the lunch he made her with great zeal.

Minato smiled as he sat across from his mate and pulled out his own Bento and began to eat with her. Success!

The next few years Minato's attempts to get closer to Kushina were rebuffed. While she didn't mind being his friend she didn't encourage him, which made Minato pout when he was alone. Sure, she let him sit with her and they trained together at school but other than that they had no contact at all. For the young Prince it was very frustrating.

Then one day, as Minato watched from a tree, one of the older Genin started harassing his mate, he didn't catch most of it, but the more the guy talked the more tears he could see in his Kushina-hime's eyes. It ended with her slapping the guy so hard he went flying into the tree Minato was sitting in. She burst into tears as she ran off.

Minato leaped down and sent the older ninja a glare before turning and following his mate. "Hey, Kushina-chan, are you ok?" Minato asked when he reached her.

"Go away Minato I never want to see you again!" she snarled. "You're stupid and ugly and weak and and..." She dissolved into more tears

Minato stared at her with wide eyes, she was strong on her own; he'd never had to help her. He backed up slowly, was that why she never allowed him to get closer? Because he hadn't proved that he could protect her? Ugly? Weak? Stupid? He was pretty sure that was just her hurt feelings talking but if she didn't want to see him then... he'd leave her alone until she calmed down... But that didn't stop her words from hurting.

Several weeks later... His mate was taken.

Kyuubi's Son

Minato cursed himself as he followed her trail of hair, what had he been thinking leaving her alone like that? The Genjutsu that kept his heritage hidden was breaking with every step he took he was so angry.

When Minato caught up to the idiots who took his mate, he took them down one by one.

When Kushina saw him step into the moon light, she didn't see who she expected. Who was this boy with fox ears and three fox tails that was half a foot taller than her and her friend? Why was he dressed in silvery white silks looking like a prince? She fell forward in a faint and he leaped forward to catch her, leaping to the top of a nearby tree.

When she opened her eyes again her savior hadn't changed. "...How did you find me...?" When he looked down at her she gasped almost silently, though the pupils were slit like a fox's, she knew those eyes. "...Minato...?"

He smiled down at her softly, revealing small but incredibly sharp fangs. "I noticed the trail of hair that you left, how could I not, it's such a beautiful red that even blood seems dull in comparison," he told her.

"...Why did you come after me?" Kushina asked.

Minato gazed down at her lovingly as he took a minute to come up with a response that wouldn't scare her. "I like you for who you are, I don't care what anyone else thinks of you, they don't matter. What I see matters." He replied, "And as cliché as it sounds, I liked you since the day we met in that classroom."

Kushina's cheeks flushed as she listened to him. ...He liked her...? She blushed looking away guiltily, "...I'm sorry Minato..." She blinked and looked up at him in surprise when she felt his cheek brushing against hers and looked back up at him questioningly.

It's alright... I understand, my Hime." Minato replied as he pulled away to look into her beautiful purple eyes, "You were hurting, and sometimes when we are hurt, we say things we don't mean to the one that cares."

"But I..." Kushina had tears in her eyes.

"Sh..." Minato hushed her gently, "I will never hold it against you, after all," he whispered, "You needed space to calm down and I was more than willing to give you what you needed and I still am." What kind of mate would I be if I didn't? He wondered silently, but Minato doubted that Kushina would be very happy if he voiced the question, he knew anyway. He wouldn't be a very good mate at all if he didn't give her what she needed, be it space to calm her raging emotions or a compliment to brighten her day.

Kushina reached out hesitantly and cupped his cheek, his skin was soft and smooth, and she watched fascinated as he leaned her touch. Did he know how different he looked? Her hand wandered into his hair then brushed the soft fur of his ears. She stopped in surprise when she felt more than heard him purr. Then she giggled and began petting his soft silken ear again.

She liked hearing him purr! Kushina looked into his eyes, "...Minato... You look different..."

Minato frowned slightly, "How so?"

"...You don't look... human any more..."

Minato blinked, "I don't?" Now that she mentioned it... he felt stronger than he ever had...

Kyuubi's Son

Later, after they set up camp, Kushina found Minato examining his reflection in the water of a nearby river in the silvery moonlight, try as he might he couldn't figure out how he had gotten demon features, or why. He turned when he heard his mate approach, "Hey, Hime... will you tell me what that older Shinobi said that upset you so?" he asked curiously.

"Well..." Kushina lunged, pushing Minato out of the way as a dart splashed into the water next to where her savior had just been standing.

"Well, well, well... Lookie what I found..." They heard evil chuckling and turned to look but, even Minato (with his now better night vision) couldn't see anyone in the shadows. "Lady Luck must love me because I think I just bagged myself 'The Nameless Prince'!"

Kushina opened her mouth to ask a question but Minato covered her mouth with a hand. "Don't say anything," he breathed, lips barely moving against her ear. He turned back to where they had heard the Assassin's voice coming from, "Who are you?" he called into the quiet of the night.

Kushina stared up at him wondering what was going on. Who was 'The Nameless Prince'? And why did this guy think Minato was him?

The voice laughed again chillingly, "Silly Little Prince, as if I would show myself... you'll be dead before the sunrise so why bother? No matter how well your parents try to hide you we will always find you..."

Minato shivered in fright, why did this guy think he was the target? His parents had been merchants hadn't they? So... why was this... person speaking in present tense about them?

"Well, they obviously hid me very well if you only just now found me through luck," Minato retorted being careful not to remove his hand from Kushina's mouth. What the hell was this guy talking about? And why was he so interested in him?

Kushina and Minato's eyes met, he could see the fear in her eyes and knew that she had to see the fear reflected in his. This, was not going to be fun...

"Silly Prince," the voice purred, sounding closer, "It does not matter. We will still have your hide..."

Minato shivered in fear, pulling his mate closer, his hair and the fur on his ears and tail stood straight, making him look bigger but it didn't seem to deter their assailant. This wasn't good.

Minato's grip on Kushina tightened pulling her closer to himself as he pulled out one of his kunai, catching the downward swing of a sword. He then rolled, jumping into a nearby tree which was splashed with water. The water flowed upward, toward Minato and Kushina, causing them to scream.

Not twenty meters away Kyuubi's ears perked at the sound of his son's screams mixed with a female's, and they sounded close. He turned and hastened to find them.

Minato's fox ears perked, twisting in the direction where he could hear thundering footsteps, the young prince smirked, "Well, it looks like your luck has run out, because here comes Papa!" Why had he chosen the prince's father to come to their rescue?

Minato pulled out some tags and attached them to some Kunai. He threw them at where he thought their attacker was, but there was no one.

The laugh from before came from behind, causing Minato to stiffen. His eyes darted around as he looked for his mate. She was to the left also looking for their attacker. Minato spun, catching yet another thrust of the other's sword. He could tell that the man was getting desperate, no one who attacked his son lived if he met them after all.

The goal was to keep the guy distracted. Minato only hoped that they could get away.

Kyuubi's Son

Kyuubi shifted to his human form to dodge a dart and glared into the shadows from where it came. He had no time for this; he had to save his son and the girl! He lunged at his attacker and tore him apart. Then he turned back the way he had been going, would his son still be alive when he got there? He could only hope that he was!

Kyuubi's Son

The man suddenly pulled away but that gave Minato a bad feeling, "Kushina!" he called, but it was too late.

He had her by the throat. "Now Prince if you want this little Vixen to live you will come with me..."

Minato bristled, he had to do something! His mate was too important and he could not live without her...

Just as Minato was about to let his kunai drop, something, or rather, some-one- charged the man from the side.

Minato leaped in, catching his mate before she hit the ground and looked up. It was Kyuubi's human form...

Kushina looked up at him and then at Kyuubi, "Who is that?" she asked quietly.

Minato shook his head and looked down at her, he replied in no more than a whisper, "I can only assume that that is the prince's father..."

Minato pulled Kushina close, he couldn't believe that he had almost lost her twice in the span of several hours! But still, he looked up at Kyuubi who was watching them from where he had killed the assassin and bit his lip. Maybe now they would get answers...

Kyuubi smiled as he watched his son, the girl had to be his mate; why else would his Little Harbor hold her so tenderly yet tightly?

Minato pulled Kushina with him as he approached, "Who are you?" he asked quietly, "And who is the Nameless Prince?"

Kyuubi had to hide his smile, for some reason his son asking about himself was extremely amusing. "I am the king of Demon Country and the Nameless Prince is my son, there have been so many attempts on his life that by the time he was three we'd lost count. To ensure his safety we had to hide him away in a village far from us and it has worked... so far."

"I see..." Minato gazed up at him, "And why... Why would they think that he was me?" the young unknowing prince asked his father quietly, for some reason hoping that this man, the King of Demons would say that he was his father.

"So... now that you have your answers, what are your names?" Kyuubi asked, peering down at his son and his mate, he did need to know her name after all...

Both youngsters blushed, bowing, "I'm Uzumaki Kushina," Kushina breathed.

"N-Namikaze Minato," his son murmured, "Pleased to meet you Kyuubi-sama..."

"Thank you for saving us," Kushina and Minato whispered together, Minato feeling a bit disappointed that his last question had been ignored, but if he didn't know where the prince was the information couldn't be tortured out of him so...

"You two should get back to your village, other assassins might still be around." Kyuubi shooed them off, handing them their supplies.

(End)

Well, this was fun to write! I hope I didn't screw up the fight scene too badly…

Enjoy!

Neph