Disclaimer: See chapter one.

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews. To be honest, I really didn't expect that many. So managed to squeeze in the time to type this one out. Till the 23rd of July, please do not expect any updates and do not assume that I dropped this fic. I won't keep you any longer so enjoy.

Warnings

Shounen-Ai

Incest- NaruMina

Somewhat Betaed

Times Are Strange

Chapter Ten

Minato blushed beneath his ANBU mask at the words the Jounin said.

True, he hadn't spent a day away from the blonde since his arrival. Even though it was unintentional, he somehow the wound up in the shinobi's company. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Minato tried to think of an explanation to give the seated male.

Before he could come up with a plausible reason, the whiskered Jounin spoke up again grinning brightly, "I'm just teasing you." motioning with his hand to the seat next to him, Naruto offered "Come and keep me company. It's kinda sad to drink alone." Nodding slightly in response, Minato shed the ANBU cloak and mask.

Placing them neatly on the black couch, he approached the counter top. Settling on the stool next to one the blonde occupied, the teen watched nervously as the Jounin bent down to retrieve another ochoko. Minato fidget slightly as the whiskered shinobi poured the rice wine into the small vessel. He hadn't consumed anything alcoholic before and didn't know the level of his tolerance. The Captain didn't want to offend the twenty year old by turning down the invitation, so he accepted it instead. Picking the ceramic cup and bringing it to his lips, the teen took a small hesitant sip.

It took all of his will power not to openly gag at the taste. Placing his cup down, the young ANBU waited for the burning sensation which flooded his sense to leave. Once the initial resided, the teen found the sweet after taste quite pleasant.

"So why are you here?" A voice cut into his experience with the wine.

Looking into the dark liquid in the vessel, Minato answered "Some ninja reported, sensing some Killing Intent being emitted from a ramen stand. So the Hokage sent me to investigate." Pausing for a bit he looked up and saw Naruto nodding at him to continue, taking a deep breath "I arrived at the moment you informed the group about Sakumo-senpai's child being your student. Then after you flickered out of the stand I headed to your apartment and waited." And quickly added after he saw the Jounin's eye brows raise a little, "I needed an explanation for the report which I have to submit to the Hokage."

Naruto nodded in understanding and emptied his cup, refilling it he heard the teen further comment glancing at the spare bedroom door, "I didn't expect you to bring company."

"I didn't expect it either." He replied running his hand through the mass of messy blonde hair.

There was a brief moment of silence where neither of them spoke. Taking a sip from the ochoko, the teen broke it by asking, "Why did you do it?"

Naruto blinked in surprise then averted his eyes to the window, "Because he is my student."

"The reaction was too strong for that to be the only reason." The fox ANBU pressed.

Deliberately not meeting the gaze of the teen, the Jounin simply replied "I know." Minato pressed his lips into a thin line; he was reluctant to force it out of the blonde, he didn't want to ruin the relationship they had, he already had two close calls and fear he recently acquired for the shinobi when he arrived at the stand. That Killing Intent wasn't like anything he had experienced before. Steeling himself for the unexpected, the ANBU gripped his Kunai under the countertop and opened his mouth to interrogate.

Before he could say anything, his companion spoke up "That boy's situation is painfully similar to mine." Then he downed the cup of sake in one shot and continued "He just chose to handle it, in my opinion, the harder way. So I had to step in before the chibi went into self destruction." Refilling his ochoko, Naruto added "Plus I detest punks like them, picking on people they know who can't fight back." And spat out the last bit in distaste "Fucking pisses me off."

Minato nodded and downed the remaining sake, he had a lot of explaining and paperwork waiting for him tomorrow. Letting the burning liquid slide slowly down his throat, the teen felt his troubles slowly met away. Noticing his cup was empty, Naruto topped it up again while attempting to create conversation.

"Since you are the first shinobi I came across, my neighbour and my friend why not tell me about yourself?" and then added cheekily "Since you obviously know about me"

Minato's face burned in embarrassment at the last bit, he didn't mean to eavesdrop, he just had 'happened' to overhear. Drinking slowly he replied, "My name is Namikaze Minato. I like training, inventing new techniques and quite recently ramen." He flushed pink at the grin he received from his fellow blonde. "I dislike traitors, people who threaten Konoha and its Hokage. My hobbies, I suppose, consist of reading and my dream... Sorry I haven't figured that out yet." He finished looking apologetically.

"Don't worry, it'll come with time." Naruto waved his hand, "You said you like reading, what type of books do you like?" he asked taking a drink.

"My favourite novels are written by Jiraiya-sensei."

Soon as his drinking buddy said that the whiskered blonde spat out his beverage, and in the process surprising the blonde next to him. Staring at the teen I disbelief, who was in turn staring back in confusion, Naruto finally asked the dreaded question. "You like Ero-sennin's trash?" He prayed silently, it was bad enough having every sensei who ever taught him being a pervert. The last thing he wanted was to be the son of one.

Minato realising the reaction behind the Jounin, shook his head frantically "No, no, no. I haven't read any of his..." he searched for a suitable term, "His adult fiction." He ended dryly, taking a sip of the alcohol.

"You don't have to be polite about it, you can call it porn." Naruto replied relived, then commented "You are the lucky one."

The teen cocked his head in question.

"I had to be the pervert's editor to learn the techniques." He explained. "It was one thing to read the crap. Another to figure out his crappy handwriting, to read the crap he wrote in the first place."

The Captain laughed at the mental imaged that statement gave him. When his laughter died down he noticed the older shinobi was staring intently at him. Shifting nervously in his seat, he asked "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just surprised that's all."

Minato blinked in confusion.

"That was the first time I had seen you laugh." Naruto explained. The teen averted his gaze to the counter top in embarrassment. "Don't get me wrong, but you should laugh like that more often." And he took a sip of sake before commenting absentmindedly, "It has a very pleasant sound."

The fox ANBU turned a strong shade of deep red. The teen bent his head down so the Jounin wouldn't see his face and downed the beverage.

Completely oblivious of the flustered teen, Naruto tried to start another conversation. One would think the fourth Hokage would be at least a conversationalist. Before he could initiate the conversation, seventeen year old asked,

"Are you seeing Mitarashi Hanami?"

'What a strange question to ask.' "Depends on what you mean by seeing."

"Courting."

Naruto chocked on his sake. 'That is one term I thought they didn't use anymore. Don't tell me he's old fashioned.' Coughing and clearing his throat. "NO WAY!" he replied crossing his arms to form an 'X'.

"I'm a 'love 'em and leave 'em' type of guy. Plus I'm new here, why would I want to date anyone now? Also what made you ask that question?" The whiskered blonde looked at him strangely.

"Nothing really. Just saw you two at the door and you seemed captivated by her." Minato let out a smile in relief. He felt comforted by the Jounin's words.

"I wasn't captivated by her..." Naruto protested childishly, his manly pride took a deep blow at that statement. Normally he was the one who captivated people. Not the other way around. "I was admiring her."

Minato chuckled, "No doubt you were."

"I greatly dislike you now, you know that."

"I'll be sure not to lose any sleep over it."

"Why did you hide this charming side of you personality, Mina-kun?"

"I reserved it only for you, Naru-chan."

"I feel honoured."

"Don't worry you are, Idiot."

"You really have to stop complimenting me."

Both blondes stared at each other, trying desperately to suppress the mirth that was shinning in their eyes, but failed miserably. Naruto was the first to go and was shortly followed by Minato. After the laughter died down, the two continued to drink their alcoholic beverage in a relaxed comfortable silence.

"Ahhh, we finished this one." Naruto broke the silence when he went to pour himself another cup. "I'll get another." And he slipped out of his seat, to fetch the second flask of sake.

Soon as he bent down to grab the second bottle, he heard a dull thud. Raising his head he noticed Minato had disappeared, looking over the counter top he found the missing blonde. Passed out stone cold on his living room floor.

'At least he's better than Lee. Then again, anyone is better than Lee.'

Bending down Naruto went to lift the teen.

Sliding one arm under the Captain's knees and the other under the teen's shoulders, Naruto raised Minato from his floor. For the first time he realised how much lighter and smaller the younger blonde was. He didn't notice it the first time he carried the blonde, for he was busy on focusing on covering as much ground as possible and the anger he held for the missing nins was preoccupying his mind at the time.

While carrying the unconscious teen towards the sofa, he didn't expect the ANBU to wrap his hands around his neck and nuzzle his shoulder joint.

'Awkward.' Naruto thought as he froze.

Not that Minato wasn't desirable. The teen was attractive no doubt in that. He had the sharp features and the lean toned body to go with it. Pale blond hair and Columbia blue eyes went well with his fair skin. The calm, collected and highly perceptive personality combined with his appearance was ultimate 'cool guy'. The whiskered blonde was surprised that the teen didn't have any fangirls or boys stalking his every move.

That was when Naruto felt a pair of lips against the skin of his neck.

'Really awkward.'

He was confident about his sexual orientation. The reason why he chose being bisexual was simple. If he chose to be hetro or homo, he would be denying half the world his love and miss out on a lot of possibilities. Plus being around Sai taught him to appreciate beauty no matter where it was or in what form it was in. But Naruto as well had limits. He had to draw the line concerning the people in the past.

True, his objectives in this trip were to change the future and his mere existence changed a lot of things. But he could not and would not meddle with people hearts and who they were destined for, because the slightest change would wipe out the entire existence of somebody. Other than that, the thought of being romantically or sexually involved with your father, made him squeamish, even by his standards.

Just then the source of his discomfort decided to nip on the area of skin he previously kissed. No matter how wrong this was in Naruto's mind, the feeling of sharp teeth graze his skin ever so lightly and then to be replaced with soft wet lips was too arousing.

'Okay. That's it!' and he let go dropping the teen on to his sofa. The ANBU with his eyes still closed squirmed a little, before finding a comfortable position. Once satisfied that the blonde was sound asleep, Naruto retrieved a pillow from his bedroom and tucked it under the Captain's head. Removing the amour and shoes, he used the cloak to cover the slumbering teen.

Pulling the second flask of sake, he poured himself a cup. 'First sake, then long cold shower.'

Walking to his balcony with the alcohol, the whiskered Jounin looked up at the night sky. Smiling to himself he closed his eyes shut.

Opening them, he found himself in a sewer.

'Haven't checked on Fuzzy for some time.' He thought and walked towards the large cage.

He easily spotted the large ball of fur trapped under the pillars. From the rhythmic rise and fall of the demon's chest he assumed that that the fox was asleep. Chuckling he turned to leave, when something from the corner of his eye moved. Doing a double take he froze. There was another sleeping fox trapped under his pillars.

"THERE'S TWO OF YOU?" he screeched.

"Shut it, you bag of useless human meat." One fox grumbled out lazily cracking one of his eyes open. "Unlike you some of us are trying to sleep."

"Why are there two of you?" Naruto demanded.

"There is no such thing as two Kyuubi no Kitsune, stupid brat." The demon let out a yawn, displaying all its razor sharp teeth to Naruto.

"I may be stupid, but I ain't blind. I can clearly see another fox in this cage." Naruto yelled, looking at the sleeping fox.

"Che!" the fox responded lazily waving its nine tails around, "Figure it out yourself brat, I'm not your brain."

"Kyuubi." Naruto called dangerously, and then flicked his hand downwards. Causing pillars around the demons neck to slowly choke the fox. "I'm not in a mood for your games."

"You impertinent brat!" the fox snarled, but pressure on his throat increased. After some time the demon finally yielded. "Fine."

Naruto eased the pressure but still kept his hand ready, in case the demon needed more 'convincing'.

"When your father sealed me, you were nothing but a newborn. You were too young to handle all my chakra. So he only sealed the Yang half in you and the Yin in the Shinigami's stomach along with himself."

"So you're the Yang half," Pointing to the sleeping fox. "And that is Yin."

"Glad to know that brain of yours hasn't completely rotten away."

Ignoring the insult Naruto thought for a moment "Since we are in the past, shouldn't your Yin half be in my mother?"

Kyuubi glanced at his other half and replied, "I don't know brat, I suppose since you are the future vessel and have more seniority than her at being a vessel."

Naruto nodded. It seemed a plausible explanation. Then the Sandaime's voice flooded in,

"Hospital, the Kyuubi disappeared and she is very weak and has to adjust with it not being in her..."

The Dead Demon Consuming Seal, was like a gate periodically opening and interrupting the host chakra flow to release the bijuu's chakra, so that the demons chakra and the vessel chakra would fuse giving the host large reserves and constant flow of chakra.

Naruto's eyes widened in realisation, if his mother didn't have an entity in her body supplying her chakra while she had the seal that would mean the end of her ninja career. The seal would constantly interrupt her chakra system, but since there was no chakra flowing through it would cause gaps and fluctuations in her chakra flow.

Turning to the demon, he said "We need to get the Yin you into mom, now."

But the fox's reply was only to yawn and go to back to sleep.

Naruto opened his eyes to reality "Useless furball." He muttered quickly putting the cups into the sink he flickered to the hospital entrance. Dashing through the doors he ran towards the desk that said 'Patient Information.'

"I need to know which room Uzumaki Kushina is in." He asked hurriedly.

The young woman behind the desk eyed him calmly and responded after looking through some papers "She's in room number forty nine, may I know who's asking?"

"Kazama Naruto." He replied he pointed to his forehead protector before running towards the stairs. He heard the woman call out behind him, "Visiting hours are over in half an hour." Yelling a thank you he went in search of the red head.

When he reached room number forty nine he paused for a moment. Next to the door was file. Opening the file it read,

Patient: Uzumaki Kushina.

Age: 16.

Sex: Female.

Current health: Coma. On the Glasgow scale, level 2.

Naruto's eyes widened again, from the many hours of spending with Baa-chan and Sakura-chan he knew a level two coma on any scale wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. Placing the file back, he entered the room.

The smell of disinfectant was the first thing to hit him. Wrinkling his nose in disgust he walked towards bed.

She was very much younger than the time he'd met her when he was trying to rid himself of his dark half behind the falls of truth. Her long red hair was shorter than he remembered and she was paler as well. The teen was so still that one might have thought she was dead save for the recurring beeping of the monitor and her breathing. It was chilling to see such a vibrant person so lifeless.

Locking the door he pulled the covers off her. Lifting her hospital gown up to her belly he channelled chakra to her seal. When it appeared on her skin he placed one hand over it and the other on her forehead. Then closed his eyes shut.

He found himself on a barren land with a giant orb of stone hovering above the ground a few feet ahead of him. On the stone were nine stakes hammered into it and his mother's chakra chains hanging loosely like vines. Directly under the floating rock was his mother asleep. Behind him was his sewer and caged Kyuubis.

'Now comes the hard part.' And he closed his eyes in concentration.

The pillars around the Yin Kyuubi began to shift, forming a square cage around the fox. Thus waking the fox in the process. The demon started to howl and struggle against the bars.

"SHUT UP!" Naruto roared, effectively shutting the fox up "If you continue to struggle I'll make the cage so small you won't be able to shift a single strand of fur." And the six sides of the cage came in closer to make his point. The tailed beast snarled viciously in response but never the less, stopped thrashing and curled up, eyeing him reproachfully.

"What's happening?" a sleepy female voice joined in, looking at whiskered Jounin she asked "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I'm a... friend, who is just returning something of yours." Naruto answered vaguely and continued, "But I need your help."

Kushina looked confusedly at him, but when she saw the Kyuubi, she cried out "Kyuu-chan!"

The caged demon snarled at her. The red head looked at him in explanation.

"I found him and he needed to go home."

She giggled and asked "So what do you want me to do?"

The Jounin smiled warmly at her, "I'm gonna bring Fuzzy to your floating rock, and I want you to seal him. Okay?"

Her brow furrowed "How do you do that?"

Naruto nearly slapped his head, "Do you remember how he was sealed before he ran away?"

She nodded.

"Now imagine that happening to him."

After a small pause Kushina nodded again. Satisfied Naruto turned to the caged Kyuubi and motioned with his hand for the cage to rise. The pillar cage along with the fox hovered slowly to the stone. When it reached the rock he signalled to Kushina.

Biting her lip she closed her eyes. The nine stakes up rooted and pinned each of Kyuubi's tails to the hovering mass of stone. Then her chakra chains began wrapping around the cage. Then Naruto cancelled the pillar slowly breaking them, and Kushina began tightening her chains. After some time the Kyuubi was fully bound to Kushina's orb of stone.

"Looks like the jobs done." Naruto stated and then patting the read head "Rest, and I'll be seeing more of you in the future."

"Wait-" Kushina began but he withdrew from her mind and opened his eyes.

Unlocking the door he pulled down her hospital gown and replaced her covering sheets. Soon as he finished returned everything to the way it was the door opened and a nurse came in, with a clip board and some equipment for the patient's regular check up.

"Excuse me sir, but visiting hours were over long time ago." She said eyeing him.

"I'm sorry; it looks like I fell asleep." And gave her an apologetically smile; the nurse almost smiled back before scowling at him and replied in a clipped voiced "Make sure it never happens again." He nodded and leapt out of the red-head's window.

Landing on the roof of a nearby building, he let out a silly grin. Humming happily as he jumped from roof to roof towards his apartment.

Glossary

Ochoko- Small cylindrical vessels generally used for drinking sake.

A/N: ...There! The long awaited NaruMina moment (well if you can call it that)... Did I meet your expectations? or was that an epic fail?... Well, we finally get to meet Kushina, I know she joined the academy when Minato was attending, but I don't know if she was the same age. I hope I got the medical information right...

Just to let you guys know, I'm strictly following the canon... So the people who asked for Itachi, I'm sorry, but if you do the math, he still hasn't been born yet.

Another note, I did a little drawing of Naruto, on how he would look like in this story. If you guys want to take the risk of ruining your mental image of him take a peek at my Avatar (or profile picture).

Remember,

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