Minato knew he liked Kushina.
Minato realized he loved Kushina the first time he saw her save a life.
Their second mission had gone sideways in a spectacular way when Daifuke, Kushina's old genin teammate, returned from his bathroom trip with a kunai held at his throat.
Five more enemy nin melted out of the shadows as the two free Konoha ninja instinctively went back to back.
"What're you doing here, Konoha?"
Minato slipped a hand into his kunai pouch. A bead of blood formed at Daifuke's neck. He stopped.
"None of that, blondie," the Kumo nin sneered.
Mind racing through all the possible scenarios, Minato held his hands up. There was nothing they could do without sacrificing Daifuke's life. Behind him, he felt Kushina doing the same, weapon-free hands rising in surrender.
Or so he thought until she yelled at her teammate.
"Now!"
Daifuke hit the ground, lighting fast.
Kushina's open palms fisted, and the glowing chakra chains that manifested made the world explode.
When the dust settled, the Kumo nin were defeated. And Minato was in love.
Minato knew he loved Kushina.
Minato realized he wanted to marry Kushina the first time she saved his life.
Red hair flying, she dove right through the terrified swings of the samurai guard, chakra suppressing manacles still around her wrists. She'd just broken the chains that bound her to the wall with sheer anger when the guard had smashed his head against the wall this particular torture session.
Hanging limply against the wall with those same manacles the only thing holding him up, he watched his teammate tear into the man. Kushina rarely ever had to use taijutsu, as it was a rare ninja that could argue with her chakra chains.
There was little finesse to her movements.
There didn't need to be.
Teeth bared in an expression he'd seen once on a tiger in the Forest of Death, she crushed the man's trachea with an open-handed blow. Half-drunk from the concussion, he marveled at her raw power.
Guards yelled outside the bars of their cell. Footsteps thundered overhead. Kushina tore keys off the dead man's belt.
Concerned eyes wide in a way that belied the fact that she'd mauled a man to death just seconds before, Kushina was in front of Minato, keys skittering on his manacles as she hurried to open them.
Her hair was obscuring his face. He blew the strands off, wanting to never take his eyes off this woman again.
"Marry me."
Those eyes, those beautiful eyes, held a furrow between them.
"You're concussed."
He nodded happily in agreement.
"Marry me anyway."
Both of them were free of their manacles now. They both squared up to the small army gathering outside their cell.
"After this."