All across the village hidden within the whirlpool people could hear the rapid, 'popping' sounds as small explosions going off. Considering the village had been in a state of war for the last four years this might have caused worry among the civilians and ninja alike. But tonight each little pop was received with 'oohs' and cries of joy. They were from the fireworks that were filling the night sky. The entire village was out in the streets celebrating the great victory and the fall of the enemy fortress. Wooden tables had been hastily set out and loaded down with free food and drink for all to share. The war was not over, there were still rock nins in their territory and Iwa was unlikely to offer them peace terms even after such a heinous defeat. As Village Headsman Uzumaki Naoko knew he would be busy tomorrow reminding everyone that the war was still on and that they had to get back to wartime conditions.

But that would be for tomorrow.

Just for tonight they would open up the food reserves. They would ignore the laws about public drunkenness. They would even wink at the fights and brawls that always came when there was so much free booze. This was not for celebration. A night to revel in the fact that their village would survive despite all the damn rock nins could do to them. The children were in the streets banging on pots and makeshift drums and shouting and playing ninja. The adults were drinking and eating and laughing and occasionally fighting. They were all looking up into the sky at the glorious showers of light that appeared in every color. And they were all drinking toasts to and singing the praises of one man. Namikaze Minato, the great Yellow Flash of Konoha. Word had spread like wildfire of how he had singlehandedly taken down the Iwa fortress. The description was so incredible that many people refused to believe it. Yet soon there was no denying that the fortress really was theirs and that Minato had been the one to take it. All through the streets cries of thank rang out as people shouted his name.

Amid the happy crowds were a pair of thirteen year old Leaf ninja. Their sensei had given them leave to enjoy themselves and Obito had not needed any additional encouragement. He sprinted to where those tabled were and was stuffing himself with rice balls and sweets. He was also getting some free beer and sake. (As in Konoha, a ninja was considered an adult the moment they put on the hitai-ite.) As soon as people saw his leaf head band he became the center of attention as people pleaded with him for stories about his sensei. Obito was happy to oblige, though his speech began to slur and his stories became more and more disjointed the more little cups of sake he had. Luckily Rin was there to take care of him. She was enjoying being in the middle of such a festive crowd and loved the fireworks. But she was there mostly to make sure Obito made it back in one piece.

Kakashi sniffed at the idea of going out and making a spectacle of himself. A proper ninja did not get drunk in public and make a fool of himself. Instead he did a bit of light training and then read some ninja training manuals until it was time for bed.

For his part the great hero of the hour also declined to go celebrate. Minato instead found a quiet spot on top of the Uzumaki clan main house where he could sit peacefully in the shadows and watch the fireworks. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy a good party. His students and many of his friends back home knew how much he loved to drink and dance and have a good time. It was just that he never really liked being the center of attention all that much. He couldn't really enjoy himself when all eyes were on him. So instead he was just going to enjoy the fireworks alone and then get to bed.

At least that was the plan.

His plan was defeated when a pretty red head popped over the edge of the roof and grinned at him. "Anybody ever tell you you're not an easy guy to find?" She promptly leapt up onto the roof. He saw she was still in her black and red bodysuit and that she had a rather larger bottle in one hand and a pair of drinking bowls in the other. "I would have thought you'd be out there enjoying yourself." She came over and sat down next to him.

He smiled at the beautiful and oh so assertive woman. His plans for the evening were ruined, but he didn't really mind. "I'm enjoying myself just fine, especially now that I have you to keep me company."

She preened a little. "Ah flattery, keep it coming." She opened up her bottle and began filling one of the bowls. Just so you know this bottle is from my family's private stock. It's fifty year old Shingutu sake imported from Rice country." She handed him the bowl and began filling up the second. "So you had better enjoy it." When she'd filled the second bowl almost to the very top she gave Minato a toast. "To the Yellow Flash, a true ninja legend."

Minato lifted his own bowl in response. "To Uzumaki Kushina, a kounichi as bold as she is beautiful."

Her cheeks flushed just a little and she quickly brought the bowl to her lips, draining it in one long gulp. Seeing her go Minato did the same, emptying his in a single pull as well.

"Oooooh! Now that's good!" Kushina said. She could feel her whole body heat up in response to the potent rice wine.

"Strong!" Minato agreed and held his bowl out again.

She began pouring him a refill. "Just so you know I plan on taking advantage of you."

He flashed her that big smile of his. "Only if I don't take advantage of you first."

They both laughed and took a second drink. The sake really was excellent; it slid smoothly down their throats and filled their bellies with fire.

"You know if you want I think the whole village would be happy to make you king," she was only half joking as she again filled their bowls.

"Thanks but I don't want to be king anymore than I want to be Hokage. All I really want is to just go home and start raising a family."

She giggled. "Sure, you probably just want to start playing around with three wives," she teased.

"Maybe," he admitted. "But first I need to find three women I can really love." The both downed another round.

"That won't be too hard for you," she began pouring again. "The brat keeps telling me how you have all the girls in Konoha chasing you. I'm sure you can pick any three you want. You should just line them up and pick the three with the nicest tits."

His face turned a shade redder than it had been. "It's not like that."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure it's not."

"It's not," Minato said sharply and put down his bowl. "My father was killed on a mission to River country when I was nine. I don't have any other family. I'm not looking for just sex, that's easy enough to get. I want love, I want someone I can really love and have a family with." He brought the bowl up and drank.

Kushina did too, emptying her bowl and refilling it. Her mind was staring to get a little foggy. For some reason she was feeling kind of angry at him. "That's what you say, that's what men say, then what do you do? You go after the girl with the best looks and try and sleep with her."

"I'm not like that," Minato said defensively.

"Yeah right," Kushina snorted.

"I'm not."

She glared at him. "Then why do you need three wives huh? True love is hard to find, you think you'll find it three times? If it's real love you want one woman should be enough for you! You should find one woman who really, really loves you and just be with her." She swallowed another drink, not noticing as she spilled some down her chin.

"Do you have someone in mind?" Minato took another drink as well.

"Sure," she mumbled. "She's a kounichi from this tiny little village in the middle of nowhere. She really, really has fallen for you. But she's not good enough for you to marry though, right? I mean why would the great Namikaze Minato settle for someone like that?" She set the bottle down and lay on the roof. She didn't want any more sake. She just wanted to look up at the fireworks. "I know what I am," she said quietly. "I'm just a little diversion for you. I'm just a way to pass the time while you're stuck out here."

Minato put down his empty bowl and decided to lie down next to her. They were both lying next to one another looking up at the fireworks.

"I want to make a confession," Minato said. "When I came here I was hoping to meet you."

"What?" She looked over at him.

He turned his face to look at her. "Sensei didn't really mention you, though he did tell me about two of your cousins. But Tsunade told me all about you; she also told me that you were the sort of girl I should be with. That surprised me; she's sort of like an aunt to me and she never thought a single girl was right for me."

"She was probably just being nice," Kushina muttered.

Minato laughed. "Tsunade just being nice?"

Kushina smiled herself. "Yeah, she does like to tell it like it is."

"Of course she never told me you'd be the most beautiful girl I'd ever laid eyes on."

Her heartbeat picked up even though she told herself not to believe it. "Yeah right," she said teasingly. "How many girls have you said that to?"

"One." He rolled over to his side so he could look down into her face. "You really are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and the most amazing."

She was just staring up into those incredible blue eyes. Her foggy brain couldn't think up anything to say. As she was looking up though she realized something.

"The fireworks have stopped."

He looked up for a second and nodded. "Yeah they have." He turned again and they were staring into each other's eyes.

"Want to make out?" Kushina suddenly asked.

"O.k."

And with that they began to passionately kiss and drunkenly grope each other.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ah hem," a loud voice said.

"Huh?" Minato sat up. "Ow!" He grabbed a throbbing head.

"Wha…" Kushina opened her eyes and let out a groan, some horrible little demons were driving pick axes into her skull. She looked around with half open eyes. "Where am I?"

"You're on the roof of your home niece," her uncle Saishu said. His voice was deliberately louder than it needed to be. He was not surprised to see both of them wincing with pain as she spoke. "I gave you as much time as I could but the sun's about to come up. Why don't you both head inside now, to your own rooms." He looked at his niece with a frown. "And just so you know your father spotted you up here before I did." Her uncle disappeared in a swirl of wind and mist.

"Great," she muttered. She wondered if she was going to get another lecture or if her dad would just count this as an effort to try and marry the super ninja.

"I'm sorry," Minato said.

Kushina looked at him feeling a little worried. Why is he apologizing? She spotted the bottle of sake she'd brought with her, it was nearly empty. She couldn't remember anything at all from last night. Looking at his clothes and her own they were both disheveled, but fully dressed. She was a virgin and from what she'd heard if she'd lost her virginity she'd feel sore as hell the next morning. Her head was killing her but otherwise she felt fine.

"Why are you apologizing?" She hated asking but if there was something she needed to know.

"I'm sorry, that I caused your father to see you in a compromising position."

Despite the head ache and dry tongue she grinned. "He caught you in the same position so I should apologize too." She tilted her head and looked at him questioningly. "Did you take advantage of me last night?"

"No!" He said immediately, then frowned and looked nervous. "At least I don't think I did. I don't really remember much. But I'm sure I would never do that."

"Too bad." She slowly got to her feet and headed to her room. "I'll see you later for our date."