I'm glad the battle scene turned out so well, guys. XD I had completely forgotten Naruto could sense the battle through his sennin mode. Aw well. Lets hope this chapter works out just as well.
Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Chapter Nine – That Awkward Moment When...
Naruto was happy. Mind-numbingly, ridiculously, overwhelmingly, blissfully happy. The sun was warm on his face, a gentle breeze ruffling his hair as he lay back on the cool grass, blue eyes blinking up at the canopy of leaves above his head. Beside him, he could feel his father – the source of his happiness – breathing soundly. Every now and then, he opened his mouth to say anything, but no sound would come out.
Despite how happy he was at finally having his father there, at being able to look at him, touch him, talk to him, e was tongue-tied at the mere thought of talking to him. It was stupid, the young ninja thought. Only yesterday, he had been more than happy to talk to him. The day before, he had practically tackled the man to the ground. The sudden onslaught of shyness and embarrassment was annoying him to no end, but he couldn't find a single way to start the conversation.
The two had been lying in the late afternoon sunshine for about fifteen minutes now. After their training session, Minato had promptly laid back down on the grass, informing Kakashi that he would return to the tent later. He'd briefly looked at Naruto with a soft smile; a signal. Kakashi and Sakura had seemed to understand and left the two alone in the clearing, though Sakura looked like she wanted to say something to Naruto. The latter had sat down on the grass, grinning awkwardly at first. He waited for his father to catch his breath after the spar, almost shaking with anticipation, but he soon began to feel disappointed when his father kept his silence. Is this as awkward for him, too...? the blond sighed inwardly, turning to glance at his father. He was surprised when he saw azure eyes looking at him, a soft smile on the other man's face.
"I'm sorry about keeping you waiting, Naruto." Minato smiled that friendly, warm smile of his and Naruto felt a slight blush tint his cheeks. The slightly breathless quality to his voice hinted that he'd just been resting, after all.
"Um... it's OK..." the youth mumbled, sitting up. Minato mirrored the gesture, albeit stiffly, so that they would remain eye to eye. Idly, he rested one elbow on his bent knee.
"I'm sorry this is awkward, Naruto." he said slowly, taking his son by surprise. Their eyes met and Naruto was startled to see sorrow mixed in his father's irises. "I wish you didn't have reason to feel awkward. I wish you had grown up with parents to talk to and to look over you, that you hadn't been so lonely. Minato's voice was low and brutally honest, apologetic. His shoulders were stiff, as if he was bracing himself subconsciously. "One the one hand, I wish-"
"Save it, Dad." Naruto interrupted him, his voice emotional and somewhat wobbly. "Like I said, I can deal, because I'm the Fourth Hokage's son." The statement brought a bittersweet smile to Minato's face, who smiled despite the emotions on his face. Even he, famed for keeping his composure at all times, couldn't fight the emotions welling up in him.
"I see Kakashi taught you how to interrupt people." he said softly, bringing a slight smile to Naruto's lips. "Like I was saying, I wish you had had an easier life, a better childhood... However, I'm not sorry for the choice I made- the choice we made. I'm sorry you grew up without us, Naruto but... Even back then, I knew I could trust you to deal. I know it's no excuse, and I'm a horrible parent for abandoning my child. I can understand it if you hate me for what I did." As he talked, Minato's voice was slowly losing its calm tone, turning more emotional and anxious as the words flowed. Sixteen years was a long time to hold emotions in, to let them fester and, if Minato had dome something, it was let pain fester, regret, guilt. "I'm here now, though, and if... If you can forgive my selfishness, I pro-"
"Dad, stop." Naruto interrupted him again, ignoring his father's startled expression. His eyes were hard, stern as he gazed at his parent and hero. A fist was clenched on his knee, trembling slightly. "If you regretted your choice, you wouldn't be the Fourth Hokage, Konoha's hero. You'd be scum that didn't deservethe name of Hokage. A Hokage's job is to protect the village at any cost, after all. What you did wasn't selfish; you gave your life for the sake of the village! You've been my hero ever since I was a kid. I wanted to live up to your legacy, to be a hero like you!"
"Naruto..." Minato managed to choke out, overwhelmed by his son's words. Sitting before him and looking at him with fierce, serious eyes, he was strongly reminded of the youth – no, young man – he watched talking with Pein, talking about peace and hatred. Kushina... This is our son... he thought to himself, a lump rising in his throat.
"When I was a kid, everyone hated me. They stayed away from me and called me a monster. I didn't know why. I hated it. I just wanted someone to acknowledge me, to be a happier person because I was there." Naruto mumbled softly, looking down at the grass. He'd lost the fierce look, eyes brimming with sorrow.
"I know." Minato replied softly, wanting to touch him to much but hesitating. "I'm sorry you had to suffer like that, Naruto. I wanted you to be a hero, but I guess people fear and hate what they don't know..."
"It's OK, Dad... I worked really hard. I tried and tried and, in the end, I managed it. I made friends, comrades I can trust with my life. I could do it, because I'm Naruto; the gutsy ninja who never gives up." Father and son paused for a moment, thinking of the man they had both held so dear. "I had to be strong, but I don't hate you for it... I just wish you'd been there..."
"Naruto, you...?" Minato breathed softly, looking at his son with wide eyes. Naruto looked up and grinned sheepishly at his father's dumbstruck expression. He was about to say something silly to lighten the mood when his father moved, hugging him. The motion left the young man speechless, shocked. Minato felt him stiffen in his arms, but he didn't withdraw; he'd needed this contact for too long to be able to let it go now. "I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise you that." After a second's stunned pause, Naruto hugged his father back, the two silent. Then, Minato let go, sitting back on the grass and looking up at the waving leaves above his head, a peaceful smile on his face. His face appeared utterly serene, relieved, as if a great weight had left his chest. Naruto blinked at him for a few moments before smiling and lying back down on the grass.
"Um..." he half-mumbled, words coming even harder when his father's calm, curious eyes turned to look at him again. "Uh... You mentioned Mom earlier... Did-Did she try to learn the Hiraishin...? Who- Who was she? What was she like?" The hesitant questions obviously hid great interest behind them, but the subject made Minato smile sadly. With a slight grunt, he lay back on the grass beside his son, arms folded under his head. Naruto turned onto his side, watching his father intently.
"Your mother was called Uzumaki Kushina." he began in a soft voice, azure eyes blinking up at the leaves. Naruto's eyes widened slightly at the sound of his mother's name, fact which brought a bittersweet smile to Minato's face. "The Third gave you her surname in order to protect you from my enemies, Naruto. If Iwa heard of a Namikaze in Konoha, you would have been targeted for more reasons than what is sealed inside of you. I didn't want to give you another reason to be a high-profile target." At that, the man sighed, but didn't let himself dwell on it. "Your mother was the stubbornest, loudest and most wonderful woman I have ever met." he added, grinning slightly when he turned to Naruto." Kakashi tells me you take after her to a remarkable degree."
"I-I do?" Naruto asked, blinking. His expression made the Fourth's smile widen.
"From what I've seen of you, yes. Kushina was a very strong person. She would always speak her mind, no matter what the social situation or whom she was addressing, she was reckless and... and she would do everything she could to protect those she loved." The faraway look in his father's eyes, the slightly sad undertone to his voice made Naruto stay silent for a moment, giving his father a little personal time. His father's sudden chuckle startled him somewhat. "When I first showed her the Hiraishin, her first reaction was identical to yours: 'teach me', she demanded. She looked adorable, what with the way she was trying to look angry and unimpressed. I tried, but your mother just couldn't get the hang of it. It wasn't really her style of ninjutsu. After a while, she stopped trying and declared she would be Hokage in her own way."
"Mom wanted to be Hokage?" Naruto asked, eyes widening slightly. Minato chuckled again faintly.
"When she first came to Konoha, she was teased by our classmates for her fiery red hair. And then she went ahead and proclaimed she would be the village's first female Hokage, so that everyone would accept her." he reminisced fondly. "Of course, I had to tell her that I would be the one to become Hokage." he smirked slightly, raising Naruto's curiosity further.
"What did she say to that?"
"She called me a sissy flake." Minato replied evenly, smirking more at his son's loud laughter. While Naruto laughed, the former Kage blinked up at the foliage above him, light filtering down to them. A pang of loss hit him hard and he closed his eyes, sending a small prayer up to his wife. You'd call me a flake now if you could, Kushina. he thought fondly, closing his eyes. I wish you were here. I miss you. he added simply, sighing. With everything happening, he hadn't had the chance to mourn his wife properly yet, his predecessor, his master. Once he was properly revealed to the villagers, he decided he would head to the cemetary and visit the memorial stone. He'd see Obito and Rin, too. Perhaps I should take Naruto and Kakashi... he thought to himself. When his eyes opened, he found Naruto looking at him, mixed emotions on his face. "What?" he asked, puzzled.
"Nothing." Naruto replied and the two looked up at the leaves again/ Another silence fell between the two, only warmer, more relaxed.
"Hey, Dad...?" Naruto began at length. "What was the Pervy Sage like back when you were his student?"
"Jiraiya-sensei?" Minato chuckled. "The same as he always was. I doubt he changed over the years. Always silly and loud, but he could be serious if he wanted to. I guess what stuck with me most was how irresponsible he was at times. Kept taking us to bars when we were ten or eleven." he grinned.
"Me, too, me, too!" Naruto exclaimed vehemently. "He told me about the three shinobi taboos, then went on to drink sake, be with women and spend all my hard-earned money! He left me to train all alone." His tone might have been annoyed, but it was obvious he was recalling the memory affectionately. Minato smiled at his son's little outburst, blinking up at the darkening sky serenely.
"He's the one who taught you the Rasengan, isn't he...?"
"Yeah." Naruto replied, grinning slightly. "Wouldn't give me any tips, either, the old lecher. Tsunade-no-baa-chan bet me the Shodaime's necklace I couldn't master the final step in a week, but she lost." At the memory, he reached for the chord around his neck, only to remember it had broken when he had almost let out the Kyuubi, stopped only by his father's intervention. It pained him to know that the treasure had been lost and he wasn't sure what he would tell Tsunade when she awoke.
Aware of both the pause and the reason for it, Minato remained silent for a few moments, eyes following a sparrow as it searched for a perch for the night. "What about Kakashi? What was he like as a teacher?"he asked curiously.
"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked back, snorting. "He was annoying as hell! We would always have to wait three hours for him because he was always late for appointments or missions; he would always read those pervy books Pervy Sage wrote, even when training us; he never paid attention and always favored Sasuke..." he grumbled irritably, a sad pang hitting him at the last sentence; now he understood why Kakashi had devoted most of his attention to Sasuke. During the tirade, Minato was smiling – nothing new to Naruto; he was becoming used to the man smiling nearly constantly. "Although I guess he was a cool sensei."
"Good masters produce good students." Minato replied quietly, both falling silent again; the loss of their sensei still weighed heavily on both their minds and hearts. Another silence fell over the two, the light around them starting to fade. The former Kage had noticed his son being less vociferous than usual but put it down to nerves. Well, awkwardness is only to be expected, still. he thought to himself, smiling slightly. Lets hope that with some more time-
"Hey, Dad?" Naruto interrupted, making the blond turn to him. The young ninja's eyes were shining in the low light, his grin wide. "What jutsu do you know? When can you try and teach me the Hiraishin? Pervy Sage already taught me the Rasengan! He and Kakashi-sensei said you tried to combine it with your natural chakra but weren't able to finish it, but I did! If you teach me the Hiraishin, I'll teach you the Rasenshuriken! Gah, there's so much I want to ask you!" Naruto burst out, all in one, long breath. His chest was heaving softly, as if he'd finally gotten out something he'd been wanting to for ages, eyes sparkling softly. Minato had to blink at his son for several seconds before he laughed softly, smiling warmly and lovingly.
"I know you completed the Rasengan; Kakashi told me. I'm very proud of you, Naruto. As soon as we both have time, I really want to see it, though I probably won't be able to master it like you. And, we can try the Hiraishin, but it won't be effective unless you know fuuinjutsu. Sealing through special chakra-paper and ink." he clarified at Naruto's blank expression. "The user designs a seal made up out of elements in order to accomplish the desired effect. Did Jiraiya-sensei teach you any, by any chance?" Minato asked, voice light and content; there were few things he wanted more than to train together with his son, to share elements of their lives.
"I don't know..." Naruto mumbled in reply, brows furrowed at the complicated things his father was talking about. "He had me sign the Toad Summoning Contract, but I don't remember him teaching me anything with ink..." he half-muttered. Minato's smile didn't falter.
"We can start together, if you like, though it's up to you. Your mother didn't have much patience with fuuinjutsu, even if her clan was renown for its sealing jutsu." he grinned. "She preferred a more... hands-on approach to things." The mirth on his father's face made Naruto grin again, difficult jutsu matters already forgotten.
"Say, Dad, how did you and mom meet?" he grinned, eyes wide and expectant. Looking into those longing eyes almost made Minato cave, but he knew what was in his best interest, as well as what would be best for Naruto.
"That's not my place to tell you, actually." he smirked, noting Naruto's confused, then cheated expression.
"Eeeh? But you're my dad! If you won't tell me, who will?" he demanded. "I want to know! If you won't tell me, who am I supposed to ask?" he complained loudly, making Minato wince slightly, always smiling.
"You'll understand, someday soon, I presume." Minato replied with a smile, sitting up. Foreseeing Naruto's vehement protests, the blond decided to change the subject quickly. "It's getting dark. We should return to the village before some patrol comes across us. Besides, I'm hungry." At that, Naruto's stomach gurgled, making the young ninja grin sheepishly. His father only smiled indulgently.
When Naruto got up and dusted his pants down, he noticed his father had closed his eyes, a tired, yet concentrating look on his face. The blond frowned and was about to interrupt when the Fourth opened his eyes and smiled.
"Alright. Kakashi did as I asked, so we should be fine. Hang on tight, Naruto!" the man said mysteriously with a light smile, reaching for Naruto and taking him by the upper arm. The next thing Naruto knew, his body felt like it was being squeezed into juice, yet stretched to its breaking point. The world spun and flashed before his feet slammed into the dusty ground of their tent. He would have lost his balance if his father hadn't been holding onto him tightly. He felt sick.
"Woah!"
