AN I thoroughly enjoy spreading the MinaNaru love! Please show me your support for MinaNaru by reviewing ^_~.
Summary:
No memories. No identity. Nothing. His only hope of answers lies with a man whose features mirror his own. Ten years later, while working under that man, events arise that will allow him to find the answers he had been longing for... But he won't like them. AU. Assassin-theme!
Suspense/Romance/Humor
Warnings:
Alternated Universe – Modern World.
No Ninjas
Assassins :D
Language
OOC-ness may occur. But attempts have been made to keep it minimum. (Reasons behind changes in character)
Copy
Chapter Four
By BlueRedemption
The doctor pulled the stethoscope's diaphragm away from the blonde teenager's chest with a satisfied nod, pulling the headset's earpieces from her ears and letting it rest around her neck. "Uzumaki-san, your vital signs look excellent, and your rate of recovery has been quite admirable. Although I would prefer to keep you overnight to prevent a possible case of relapse, your guardian Hatake-san has informed me that you have a medical practitioner living with you?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side slightly, the shorter bits of her hair that had come loose from the up-do brushing her shoulders and framing her face.
Eagerly, Naruto nodded his head vigorously, his blonde locks flying about at the rough motion. He wasn't particularly keen on spending the night. "Yeah, Senju Tsunade, she's our family's doctor." He answered flippantly.
"S-senju Tsunade-sama?" The raven-haired practitioner gasped, standing so fast that the chair she had been sitting on fell to the ground with a loud sound.
The heir's eyebrows rose in interest at the excessive reaction, "Err, you know of her?" He frowned.
"Know of her? Tsunade-sama is my inspiration and my idol!" Her eyes were sparkling as she drew close to Naruto's face, invading his personal space. "She's amongst one of the greatest surgeons and doctors to ever live!"
"…" Naruto eyed the dark-haired woman in front of him apprehensively. Tsunade-baachan is that famous? He wondered in astonishment. He briefly contemplated telling the young doctor - who was still ranting about 'Tsunade-sama's' accomplishments - that Tsunade-baachan was actually just a busty alcoholic with a bad gambling addiction before scratching his head and deciding against it. What they didn't know didn't hurt them.
"-nd went to the same university as Yashagoro Orochimaru-"
"Wait, what?" Naruto interrupted, suddenly tuning in.
The medical practitioner blinked and repeated what she said, "Tsunade-sama attended the same university as Yashagoro-hakase. He's also quite famous, but he specializes more in the area of research, pharmacology and genetics. I heard that they were in the same graduation class, and even worked together at some point. Anyway, Tsunade-sama continued on with further study into surgery-"
The Namikaze Corp. heir tuned out again, contemplative. This information was new to him. He hadn't the faintest idea that Tsunade-baachan even knew that bastard, Orochimaru. Much less go to the same university as him! He made a mental note to get in touch with her at the earlier opportunity to ask.
"-Umaki-san?"
His train of thoughts came to an abrupt stop when he turned his attention back to the woman, "Ah, yes?" He grinned sheepishly; embarrassed that he had been caught out.
Thankfully, the young doctor didn't seem offended as she brushed it off, shooting back an equally shy smile. "I'm sorry; I have a habit of rattling on when it comes to Tsunade-sama." She apologized, pink tint dusting her cheeks fleetingly. She reached over and picked up the black clipboard that she had left on his bedside table, opening it. Taking the pen from the breast pocket of her pristine white lab coat, she scribbled something on the pages held within. "I was just saying that if Tsunade-sama is your family doctor, then you're in very capable hands. I will sign your discharge form and lodge it at the front desk to be approved, so when you're ready you are welcome to leave at your own digression." She beamed at him, closing the clipboard, and replacing her pen.
Relieved, the tanned teen grinned. "Thank you, um…I don't believe I caught your name."
"Shizune. It's okay for you to call me Shizune." She smiled gently at him, dark eyes kind. "It's been a pleasure, Uzumaki-san. I wish you a speedy recovery." She bowed politely and left the room, gently shutting the door behind her. Naruto could hear the fading sound of her kitten heels making rhythmic clicking noises against the linoleum floor as she walked off.
Stretching his arms up and letting out a lengthy pleased noise at the back of his throat, Naruto flopped back onto his bed with a large, satisfied grin, content with just lying on the bed for a few minutes before he set about gathering his belongings and made a call to Kakashi to pick him up. "Ah! I can't wait to get back home. Ramen, how I miss you so!" He closed his eyes.
It was only mere moments later when his ear twitched, hearing someone touch the handle of the doorknock and turn it, accompanied by a tell-tale creak of it opening slowly. He could make out soft, light footsteps approaching his bedside.
A small hand lightly grasped onto his left hand, which was hanging from the side of the bed. Naruto already knew without having to look down that Minato was the one who had wandered over to his bedside. He forced himself to glance down, despite feeling perturbed at the mere sight of the child who had been asked to wait outside by Shizune so that she could check up on him.
It had been a few hours since they had decided the fate of the boy. Those few hours should've allowed Naruto to come to terms that this boy could possibly be Minato. But it hadn't. It still hadn't sunk in. How it was possible that the child was really Minato, they still weren't sure, but there was obviously living, breathing proof in front of their eyes.
They had taken a blood sample of the child while he was still conked out, and had Anko take it to a trustworthy source for DNA comparison to the late Yondaime.
The prepubescent child shyly peeked up at him; sapphire-blue eyes alight with curiosity, "Naruto?" He started off in a hesitant, small voice.
"Yeah?"
"Can I get in the bed with you?" Minato's voice quavered despite the fact that his face was devoid of traces of fear.
"Ah, we're actually leaving the hospital in a few minutes; I'm just about to call Kakashi-sensei." Seeing the obvious disappointment that clouded the small boy's eyes, he hastily amended, "You can sleep in the car if you're tired." He was rewarded with an open-mouthed expression of disbelief.
"You're taking me with you?" The boy's hopeful tone spoke volumes of his irrational fear that Naruto would just suddenly up and leave without him.
The tanned teen ruffled his companion's hair playfully, "Sure am, kid. I'm afraid you're stuck with me, now."
"Stop calling me kid, my name's Minato!"
"Yeah, yeah."
After signing the release forms at the front desk, the short blonde teen steered his new charge out through the automatic glass sliding doors as soon as he spotted one of the company's cars gently turning into the passenger pickup lane.
Minato, glimpsing what his companion was eyeing, tugged at the bottom of the tanned boy's shirt, wanting his attention. "What's that car?" He curiously questioned, pointing at the long black car pulling up, his childlike inquisitiveness apparent. "It's really long."
"That's called a limo." Naruto explained with an amused smile as the car stopped when its rear door was in line with them.
The sunflower-haired youngster let out a surprised noise when he spotted Kakashi exiting from the driver's seat, recognizing him. The silver-haired male opened the door for them, bowing. "Naruto-sama, Minato-sama." He greeted, corners of his eyes creasing cheerfully.
The syndicate heir groaned, "Don't call me 'sama'." He muttered out of habit, ushering the small child into the car before himself, barely hearing his tutor's reply of, 'Yes, yes.', before the door was shut and Kakashi returned to his place at the wheel.
As the limo started up, the golden-haired teen sat back, content to just observe the small boy furtively study his surroundings.
He followed the kid's intrigued sapphire-blue gaze as it assiduously took note of the presence of a TV, a mini bar with assorted glasses and drinks, the long leather seats with soft orange cushions, and ending at the plush red carpet. "It's big in here." His new charge commented in apparent awe.
The sixteen-year old grinned, "So you like it, huh?"
Minato's head bobbed up and down and he turned, kneeling on the seat so that he could plaster his face against the window; fascinated by the view that was skimming past them.
A small frown marred Naruto's face at the kid's behaviour, slouching and folding his arms as he contemplatively considered the boy intently. One would think that, from his reaction alone, that the kid hadn't ever been outside before.
It wasn't too long before a wide yawn was drawn from Minato's mouth despite the attempt he made to mask it with his hand. Naruto smiled indulgently, "Sleepy?" he teased good-naturedly, "You can sleep. We're not going to get home for another twenty or so minutes."
Minato nodded drowsily, groggily peeling himself away from the tinted windows and crawling across the seat to curl his small body against one surprised multimillion dollar company heir, nodding off almost immediately to the rhythmic, soothing heartbeat.
"-ke up, Minato."
The child stirred and looked up towards the location of the voice, blearily blinking away the haze of white. Glossy deep sea-blue orbs slowly came into focus.
The tanned teen's head was poking into the limousine's open door, azure eyes alight in bemusement. "Come on, we're here. Let's go inside."
He sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly, sidling along the leather seat and towards the open car door and Naruto. He jumped down onto the ground and immediately latched onto Naruto's hand. Minato turned to look at the large house. He stared past the flight of white flagstone steps and at the grand, oak double entrance doors hesitantly, feeling a little intimidated. A dark-haired man with brown hair and a scar across his nose was standing at opened door, beckoning them inwards with a warm, inviting smile. "You live here?"
"Yeah, I do." Naruto nodded in affirmation, also taking in the impressive mansion for the first time in a long time and actually appreciating the view. He rarely, if ever, took the time to admire this particular Namikaze estate. It brought back far too many memories, and not all of them were pleasant.
The towering cream-bricked mansion was three storeys high, and was built to a more modernized version of the classical English Renaissance architecture style. It had been his grandfather's wife on his father's side who had decided on the floor plans and even drafted its final design. Being an architect herself, and having a penchant for British architecture, she had been convinced by her husband to construct her dream home on one of the several plots of land he owned at the time.
The building featured elegant Flemish gables, a tar-coloured ogee-shaped roof, and striking mullioned glass windows which protruded slightly. This gave the manor a façade that looked almost as though it was entirely made out of glass. Staying true to the Renaissance blueprints, his grandmother had designed it as a perfectly symmetrical building, with the wings ending in twin towers on each side of the main body, so that looking at it from an aerial point of view; the mansion had a slight 'E' shape. However, despite its ancient outlook, the inside was structured in a very modern style. It tended to surprise first-time guests, who expected some sort of gothic castle-like medieval interior.
He gently tugged at the hand, "You live here now, too." Naruto reminded.
Disbelieving eyes stared at him in profound astonishment. "With you?"
"Of course! There's plently of room!" The teen assured cheerfully, escorting the boy up towards the stairs and into the Namikaze manor.
After a brief tour of the main rooms, Naruto led him the child to the door of what he recalled to be a blue-schemed bedroom, situated in the right wing of the house where he spent most of his time in. "And this is your room, mine is next to yours. Isn't that awesome?"
Minato glanced at the door that led to the room that Naruto had proclaimed as his and looked back at Naruto as if to ask for his permission to look inside.
"Go ahead." Naruto urged, amused at the kid's reaction.
The small blonde grasped the silver knob and turned it, opening the door wide and slipping in, "This… this is mine?"
"All yours, kiddo." The sixteen-year old assured, trailing his charge as he explored the bedroom.
"It's very big. There's a bed, and a window, too! Are you sure it's ok? And why is the lock on the inside of the door, and not on the outside…" He inquisitively probed, looking perplexed.
Naruto's eyes narrowed. From the child's reaction it was as though they had locked him up in a room without windows or a bed. Fury pounded inside his head, and he clenched his fists, silently vowing vengeance on the child's captors. He forced a smile onto his face as he bent down to the eight-year-old's eye level, knowing he probably looked like he was grimacing instead. "Listen Minato, you're free to do whatever you want here. You can leave your room when you want to, and eat when you want to. The only time you have to ask me for permission is if you want to go play outside or if you want to leave the house. Other than that, you can do whatever you want."
"Promise?" Blue eyes gazed up thoughtfully up into his own and he could almost see himself reflected within the crystal-clear depths. Naruto felt a small shiver run down his spine. It reminded him so strongly of the times when his father would stare unblinkingly down at him, trying to gauge if he was being truthful or not.
"Yeah, promise."
He was rewarded with a beam that could make the sun feel ashamed.
"Naruto, I did as you asked, and Shimura-san has agreed to meet us tomorrow morning at 9 in your office."
"Thank you, Iruka-sensei. Oh, wait! Iruka-sensei? Can I ask you a favour?" He requested sheepishly, stopping his tutor from leaving the study room.
Iruka turned a nurturing fatherly gaze on him, "Anything, Naruto-kun." The man answered gently. Ever since his father had died, his tutor Umino Iruka had taken on the (undeniably hard) role as his father-like figure. If Naruto had to explain it, despite the lack of legal papers stating it was so, Iruka was his adoptive father. There were no questions about that. The onyx-eyed adult had painstakingly looked out for him, cared for him, and had been one of his most trusted confidants. The teen still didn't know how to pay him back for all that he had done.
"Do you think you would be able to send someone to pick up some money up for me from the bank?" Naruto asked, reaching across the desk and plucking the handset of a cordless phone situated on the broad, rectangular jarrah desk. "I'm going to call ahead and ask them to have a suitcase ready, and let them know someone is on your way."
"What's the money for?" Iruka enquired, a little bewildered. A 'suitcase' usually meant that there was a hefty sum involved. Naruto rarely purchased anything, and anything major that had to do with the Namikaze funds and assets tended to lie with himself, Kakashi or sometimes even the previous Kyuubi Syndicate leader, Sandaime Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Lawyer."
"Ah…" Iruka nodded in understanding, immediately knowing that this had to do with the small blonde child that Naruto dragged in from the latest mission.
Just as he pressed the button to turn off his TV, a timid knock sounded at his door. He briefly squinted at the clock on his bedside table. The red numbers 11.38PM glowed starkly in the dark.
Sitting up, he flicked his bedside lamp on. The soft yellow glow of the tungsten lightbulb instantly flooded his room in a warm, inviting radiance. "Come in, it's open." He called, wondering who was visiting him so late at night.
The door opened slowly to reveal a shamefaced, embarassed Minato.
Naruto leaned forward in his bed, focusing on the child. "Minato, is something wrong?" He asked, concerned.
The boy wrung his hands, looking hesitant and was silent for a brief period of time. Finally gathering his courage, he mumbled something very fast under his breath. Amused, Naruto asked him to repeat it.
Taking a deep breath, Minato shyly asked, "Can I sleep with you?"
"…"
"My room is too big, and I can see shadows…"
Only a monster would turn away that vulnerable, hopeful blue-eyed gaze. With a defeated sigh, Naruto shuffled over to one side of his bed and opened the covers, beckoning Minato over. "Come on in, then."
A relieved expression brightened the boy's face as he closed the door and ran over to the bedside. He overcame the small struggle required to pulled himself up and onto the large bed, and neatly tucked himself underneath the thick comforter before rolling over until he was snuggled up cosily against Naruto's chest.
Naruto sweatdropped, recalling all those times when he was still a child and snuggling up to his father during thunderstorms or when he had nightmares.
Oh, the irony.
The man attired in a formal black suit closed the suitcase with a satisfied 'click', standing tall and holding out his hand across the polished black table. "Do not worry about anything; rest assured that my team and I shall take care of all the legal proceedings regarding the guardianship of this boy, as well as the creation and input of his identity into government files." A mordant smile twisted his wrinkly face. "You need not fret about the quality of our work, Uzumaki-san. It will be untraceable, I assure you with utmost confidence."
Standing from the black business chair, Naruto nodded, taking the eye-patched man's hand in a firm grip; sealing the deal. He disliked slimy characters such as Shimura Danzou, it was lawyers such as him who made innocents suffer, and the guilty to get away without any consequences. Despite all those, there was no question that he was one of the best out there. Able to find loopholes, had contacts in the right places, and let's not forget - corrupt. The simple act of flashing a hefty sum of money and flaunting his father's last name was all it took for the attorney to agree immediately. "I await the good news."
Shimura bowed, "I shall start making the necessary arrangements later this afternoon and will contact you tonight about the progress." He grinned, as he slid the suitcase full of money off the desk, gripping it in his hand.
"I hope that I do not have to remind you that this should be kept under wraps." Kakashi suddenly piped up from his position next to Naruto. Although his voice was kept light, there was a warning in the undertone.
"Of course, of course. You have my word. Good day to you both."
As soon as Shimura Danzou closed the door behind him, Naruto let out a huge sigh of relief, flopping back onto his chair and tugging his uncomfortable tie loose. "Aww man, was it just me or was that really tense and stuffy?" He whined, losing all semblance of 'professionalism' like a flick of a switch. He kicked his feet, spinning on the cushioned chair like the teenager he was, hands lightly gripping the arm rests.
Kakashi smiled down at him proudly. It never ceased to amaze him how Naruto could revert from a well-mannered business heir, to a lost teenager who was still figuring out who he really was. "You handled it well, Naruto-sama." He assured the multi-million company heir who laid his head on the cool surface of the desk grumpily and was eyeing the back of his name plate tiredly.
"Kaka-sensei... don't call me 'sama'!"
"Yes, yes."
AN I love innocent, hopeful Minato ^_^ Teehee~~
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