6 months later
Naruto had come a long way from the scrawny teenager he was when he left Konoha. Instead of a short underweight shrimp, with the proper nutrients and care, courtesy of the toads, he had started growing into his 15-year-old body. No longer was he the shortest member of his friends. With the growth spurt came a change in his muscle stature and density.
Naruto had also matured mentally at an incredible rate, being away from an environment where 98% of the population actively hated him was good for him, strangely enough. This maturity, however, came with very tough questions. Such as the one that was just asked of her.
"Hey Jiraiya-sensei?"
"Yes Naruto-kun?"
"What is love?"
Baby don't hurt me? No.
What a fucking question. What is love? A question with more answers than one could possibly imagine. The different types of love, how love can affect someone, can we truly love someone else until we learn to love ourselves? A question which opened up more questions than answers.
"What is love? Well Gaki, that's a tough one. Love can come in many different forms. Love between two people can be intimate or platonic. An intimate love can lead to many things. A happy ever after, or heartbreak. Kami knows I've suffered mostly the latter."
Jiraiya took a moment to steady herself. Breathe in, breathe out. That part of her life was over, time to focus on what she had here and now, that being Naruto in front of her and his endless quest for acceptance.
"Love can push people do to great or even terrible things. Move mountains or kill swathes of people. Love is the maybe the single strongest emotion anyone can feel. Intimate love will be felt by everyone at some stage during their life. That undeniable proof that cannot be explained. You have feelings for this other person that need no explanation, just an affirmation that this person this person is someone you will do quite literally anything for. Not only do you love their person but you are also sexually attracted to them and hope that the other person returns those feelings. When they do it's a confirmation of making the right choice, and you hope that right choice will continue to last. As much physical pain I have taken in life, through training, fighting in a war, being utterly decimated by Hanzo. There was no greater pain than the pain of having my heartbroken."
"Then you have platonic love. Love for someone that you aren't attracted to but ultimately love just as strongly. Take myself and Tsunade for example. I would do anything for that woman and I know she would do the same for me. We have both shown this to each other time and time again. Be it in the combat zone fighting hordes of enemy nin. Or when we have our downtime and we sit and grieve all of our fallen friends."
Naruto sat stunned. Love seemed like such a complex emotion. To be able to not only garner such a response form his sensei but to also be able to understand the things people would do simply for this one word. Love. Simply a word but with so much added connotation to it regardless of the situation.
Jiraiya continued, looking slightly shaken but determined. "I have seen the cruel things that love can make a person do. When Tsunade lost Dana and Nawaki…. She turned into something I haven't seen her turn into ever since. She went on a rampage that was unseen or heard of at the time. Before the Kanabi Bridge Incident there was Tsunade's rage. Suna never went after her for a reason, it wasn't simply because he found an antidote for all of their poisons. Tsunade showed her vicious streak and it left a pool of blood a mile wide. Their top commanders were tortured in front of their troops using the poisons they themselves had created and deployed on the field. When they came close to death, to that sweet release from this torture. Tsunade got meaner and healed them, using the suna hierarchy as guinea pigs she put the fear of Kami-sama into a nation. Why do you think they agreed to become allies with us after the war? It wasn't because they liked us or feared Minato. It was because they were far too scared to have Tsunade as an enemy ever again."
Wow. His precious Baa-chan. While violent she always doted on him. Never seemingly able to follow through all the way on her promises. It seems it was only because she liked him that she allowed him to say the things he did. Naruto felt awful for Tsunade, for her to be driven to such extremes because of the loss of her loved ones. He selfishly wished that something like that would never happen to him. Closing himself off from everyone seemed like a smart decision now. However, he also never got to experience the great parts of love. The feeling of being not only wanted but needed.
"What other types of love are there sensei?"
"The love between a parent and a child."
"Oh."
"Yeah, oh. You know, your parents really loved you Naruto."
"Oh, They did? WAIT A SECOND HOW DO YOU KNOW?"
Jiraiya's hair shadowed her face but there was a noticeably darker air around her.
"Because…. Because I trained your father into the man he became. I trained Minato Namikaze into a man that could shake up the whole shinobi world. A man so strong that he made a whole nation quiver in fear when his name was mentioned. When he entered the battlefield they ran with their tails between their legs. Fighting was inevitable. This was the man destined to be the 4th shadow of fire. Your father, Yondaime-sama, Minato Namikaze."
Naruto sat in stunned silence.
"As for your mother. Maybe one of the most fearsome women I have ever met. I had the pleasure to get to know her through Minato. She was equally as passionate on the battlefield as she was with her friends. A woman filled with love and compassion. However, never cross her. She bore the weight of her ancestors on her back an by Kami-sama if she didn't do them proud. The second Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Yokou, The Red Hot Habanero, but most importantly Naruto-kun, she was your mother."
Jiraiya took a picture out from her jacket. It was a picture of a smiling Minato and Kushina, Kushina being heavily pregnant. "They were so excited about having you Naruto. With all their hearts they truly loved you. At times I was envious, but now with all that's happened I can only feel pity and solidarity with you. Forced to live an existence with arents you never knew. Trust me when I tell you I get it. War took my parents. So trust me when I tell you I understand.
Tears were in free fall. Finally the confirmation he had wanted all his life. He had parents, he wasn't just a spawn of the kyuubi growing to be the next chakra demon. Roaming these lands for eternity spreading hatred and causing destruction. Better yet, they loved him, they truly did. All those lonely nights were he cried himself to sleep wondering if waking up was even worth it now was.
"Do you need some time by yourself? Ill understand if you want to be alo.. OOF"
Jiraiya looked down and saw her cute little student holding on to her midsection for dear life. Tears were streaming down his face at this stage and his body was shaking uncontrollably. Her face softened as she rubbed his back. There were no words she could give him, an orphan finding out about their parents is an indescribable feeling so all she could do is be here to offer him support in his time of need.
"Would you like to learn about the other types of love?"
"Not now Sensei, I'm still getting through this, they loved me, they really did ya know?"
"Yeah, they did kid, I was named your godmother, but after the death of Kushina and Minato I took the cowards option and fled. Using my job as the spymaster of the village I stayed away from the place that had caused my most recent tragedy. All I can do is apologise for not being there for you sooner."
"No need to apologise sensei, you're here now and that's all that matters." Naruto smiled through his tears, he didn't deserve such a caring sensei. He had one though and he was going to be forever grateful to whoever decided to pair them together.
"Ne, Sensei, I'm feeling a bit tired. All of this talk has drained me, would it be okay if I retired early today?"
"Of course Naruto, take as much time as you need, and if you need me I'm here for you." Jiraiya responded, smiling at her charge.
"Thanks sensei, you really are the best. Hey guess what?"
"What, brat?"
"I think I love you sensei!" Naruto said with a smile and promptly passed out
"I love you too gaki." She whispered back in response not knowing how much she meant by those words until many years later.
Yo welcome back to the show, yeah I haven't updated in 6 weeks, no I don't care. Also if you review with a guest account, go fuck your mother.
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Short chapter I know, Fuck you this shit sucked, I ain't gonna actually deal with my emotions. SEEEEEEE YAAAAA NEXT TIIIIIIME.