HABLAMOS MAÑANA - BAD BUNNY x DUKI x CHILL-E
"Naruto."
Minato was drawn from his thoughts at Kushina's words. Blinking a single time, he tilted his head towards her direction. "Huh?"
"Naruto." The redhead repeated once again as she slowly tilted her head down towards her stomach. She gingerly stroked her stomach in small circles, a far away look in her eyes. "Our baby... His name is going to be Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki..."
That name... It was so familiar to Minato. Hadn't there been a relatively interesting story involving that same name?
"Your horny ass teacher was the inspiration for his name." Kushina snorted helpfully, unknowingly providing Minato with the answer he was seeking. "That damn book of his..." She trailed off with a smile. "The one time he chooses to not write shitty smut and he creates a masterpiece..." Her lavender orbs travel towards her husband as a beautiful smile slowly takes shape.
"My little maelstrom is gonna kick so much ass!"
The blond Kage can't help but laugh at his wife's words and in doing so, elicits her wrath. Despite the metal pan that was currently indenting itself upon his head, Minato couldn't help but smile.
'Naruto Uzumaki... My son.'
Minato's eyes slowly flutter open, easily adjusting to the darkness in his office. He glanced towards the clock that ticked quietly upon his desk and decided to ignore the fact that it was 2:16 A.M.
His office was slowly becoming his bedroom at this point. He had awoken plenty of times at this very desk and if he was being honest, it was better than sleeping in that large and cold bed at home. It was a temporary thing because eventually he was going to have to face his demons. But for now, he would continue stalling, acting as if everything was fine.
That breakdown was coming soon and it was going to be a vicious one. Or perhaps it'd never come at all...
What if, and this thought had crossed his mind atleast 37 times, what if he was just incapable of mourning for Kushina? Not for a lack of trying, of course. But what if, in the odd and irrational case, that Minato was truly incapable of grasping grief due to his ability to avoid and negate his emotions?
The sociopath in him, yes sociopath because he was absolutely positive that he was one, continued to whisper at him. The words it spoke were cold and calculating and held little sympathy for his plight.
"Death is expected."
"Nothing lasts forever."
"Suffering builds character."
"Harping on the past stalls the future."
Minato could see the rationale behind these words... After all, they were all true to some degree.
Death is the norm for Shinobi and nothing could truly last forever aside from ideals. Suffering does indeed build character, if your mental fortitude isn't fragile and that was something Minato had little issue with to begin with. And harping on the past did nothing in the long run. If you continued to sit on the 'What ifs' in life then time would pass you by.
While these words made sense to Minato, they also nicked at his heart. His heart was hurting and it had zero issue on reminding him of this, day in and day out.
The littlest of things could happen as Minato maneuvered through his day, such as a simple smell reminding him of Kushina. Or a certain sight reminding him of his time and experiences with the fiery redhead.
Three weeks had passed by and Minato was still in a state of limbo. It was bad enough that he was working himself ragged to make sure that Konoha remained mighty and tall but his physical health was slowly declining. On top of the various sleepless nights where he'd stay up, staring at nothing and thinking of everything, he had a child to look after.
He scoffed quietly to himself at that particular thought. Resting his elbows on the table, he covered his face to hide the shame he felt.
Looking after Naruto?
Another scoff.
He could physically count the amount of times he'd held Naruto in his arms on both hands. A clone didn't count in the slightest and if anything, Kakashi was more of a dad at this point than he was.
Minato's other hand clawed at the table in front of him, drawing bloody trenches through the wood as anger lurked beneath his veins.
Who was he to Naruto? His son had only truly seen him a handful of times and while little Naruto would never remember these experiences, it didn't help that Minato would.
He couldn't protect the village.
Couldn't protect his beloved wife.
And he couldn't even be a father to the child he sired.
Tears slowly crept down his covered face, quietly splashing against the mahogany table as silent sobs wracked his body.
The clock upon his desk continued to tick away, mocking Minato. The quiet ticks dug through his ears and with each movement of the hands, was another second, minute and hour that was wasted.
A physical representation of the time Minato was wasting.
And even knowing that this was the case, Minato continued to wallow in his self pity, unable to truly cope with his actions.
For the remainder of the day, none of the Shinobi in Konoha would question why their leader locked himself in his office, sealing the doors off from any contact and avoiding any and all meetings.
Kakashi sighed quietly to himself, slowly walking through the main building that housed the Hokage's Office. A sleeping Naruto made quiet noises as the grey haired teen inched slowly up the stairs, carefully making sure to not jostle the baby too much.
He didn't want the boy to start crying cus then he'd probably cry. Taking care of little Naruto was a task deserving of S-Rank pay and the fact that he did it for free was foolish.
Curse his sympathetic and emphatic heart. He knew that Minato was hurting over the death of Kushina. Hell, he himself was hurting too. Kushina was the mother he never had.
She was the text book definition of annoying and violent but she cared for him and his health. Kushina didn't give a rat's ass about how talented and gifted he was at being a Shinobi. She treated him like a child. It was... soothing.
But now she was gone and she wasn't coming back. Taking care of his Sensei's son was easing the pain over the loss of the only woman he'd ever allow to see past his cheeks. But there were days where Naruto proved to much to handle.
Who knew raising a kid would be so fucking hard? He'd rather fight multiple S- Rank Shinobi than change this little hellion's diapers. Those things could be utilized in a future war!
Kakashi finally mounted the spiral staircase leading to the top floor of the Hokage Building. Rounding the familiar corner that led to the Hokage's Office, the grey haired Jonin spotted a peculiar sight.
The door to his Sensei's office, aka the actual office belonging to the Hokage, was slightly ajar.
Tilting his head curiously while expanding his senses outward, Kakashi slowly made his way to the end of the hallway. His senses picked up two individuals in the room and his enhanced hearing easily picked up on the conversation.
A woman's gruff laughter barked out loudly, reverberating off the walls of the hallway. He recognized the woman's voice as the Matriarch of the Inuzuka Clan.
What was she doing here? Not that it was that surprising considering that Tsume had been relatively close to Kushina when she was in Corps. and she was probably considered a loose friend to Minato, but still... Odd.
The young prodigy slowly crept up to the door being as silent as possible, before slowly peaking through the minor crack left by the open door.
"C'mon Spikey!" Tsume chortled, leaning on Minato's desk with her back facing the man. "It's just for one night. Then ya can come back to this shit hole that reeks of yer B.O."
The look on Minato's face bordered on annoyance and exasperation. A quiet sigh escaped the blond's lips as he replied. "Tsume." He spoke tiredly, rubbing his face as he continued. "I cannot just leave my office in the middle of the day to go screw around while downing copious amounts of alcohol and liquor." His eyes narrowed in annoyance before finishing. "Also, I do not stink. I took a shower this morning."
The feral women only grinned in amusement as she shifted her body around to face the Hokage. "Never said that ya stink. I said that yer office reeks of yer body odor." She tapped her nose multiple times, emphasizing that her nose was capable of detecting smells far above the man's own. "But whatever floats yer boat, Spikey. And why can't ya go get shit faced at 2 P.M? Ya already abuse the shit outta Shadow Clones anyway. It's not like ya can't do it."
Kakashi himself shrugged at the woman's words. She wasn't wrong.
Minato leaned back in his chair, sighing once again as the abrasive woman walked around the room, messing with things that she really shouldn't be messing with.
"Correction." He clarified whilst keeping the woman in his sights to make sure she doesn't mess with something of actual value. "I don't want to get drunk at 2 P.M."
The Matriarch hummed distantly, feigning interest in Minato's response. "That's because ya ain't had a drink with me." A clawed finger pointed to herself to emphasize her point. "I'm the best drunk in the village. No one can top me!"
She was proud of her statement too, painfully so.
"If that was your way of enticing me then I'm sorry to say that it failed."
Tsume deigned a glance towards the man as her eyes finally lost their playful glimmer. "Minato." She spoke quietly in a tone devoid of her previous humor. "Ya need to take a break. You haven't left this office for an entire fucking week." She immediately cut off the man's retort, glaring directly at him whilst moving towards his desk. "Nobody will blame ya for takin' a damn break! The Village ain't gonna fall apart if ya take a single day off. 'Sides, ya seem to have shit covered anyway considering the amount of yous running rampant."
Kakashi grimaced at the woman's words, kind of agreeing with them. His Sensei had been working himself to the bone trying to make sure that Konoha was recovering. He wasn't going to judge how his Sensei grieved since it wasn't his place but someone needed to put their foot down. If no one did then Minato would continue to run himself ragged. Kushina had always been the one to put her foot down and there was no one in the world more stubborn than her.
"I agree with her, Sensei." Kakashi spoke quietly, finally stepping into the room and making himself known, gently adjusting little Naruto as he did so. "You've been a little..." He trailed off quietly, trying to find the right words.
"Stupid?" Tsume helpfully added, smirking as she spoke. "Dumb? Irrational?"
Minato's face glowered in annoyance at the woman's brash and blunt words. "I could have you court-martialed for those words."
"How bout ya court-martial my clit, Spikes?" She fired back with absolutely zero hesitation, briefly shocking even Kakashi with her words.
Instead of punishing the feral woman for her comments, Minato rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I probably should... It'd keep you out of trouble." He grumbled quietly.
The feral woman cackled loudly as she ran her clawed fingers along Minato's desk, drawing tiny scratches and grooves in the hardened wood. "Ya can't keep the kitty contained. She wants what she wants and the last time I checked... she's been kinda lonely." The woman gave a none-too-subtle wink towards Minato's direction, not even bothering to hide the advance she was clearly making.
Kakashi's face scrunched up in slight disgust at the woman's words. Dear Kami this woman was wild... Absolutely no tact and no shame. But that was the Inuzuka Clan for you.
Minato didn't really react to the woman's words, only offering a raised eyebrow. "I'm just going to pretend that I didn't hear that and move on." He ignored the woman's cackles before continuing. "Say I do take today off to run around and waste valuable time that could be used for Konoha's benefit, what do I get out of this?"
Tsume raised an eyebrow at the man's words before shifting her weight on her hips, accentuating her curves. "Ya get to spend the day with me!" She answered simply, in a tone that was definitely condescending. "Obviously. I mean c'mon, have ya seen me?!" She scoffed with pride, gesturing with her hands towards herself. "Two kids and I still look this fuckable! Ya just can't teach that. I'm one of a kind, baby!"
What a wild woman, Kakashi quietly mused to himself. Tsume wasn't unattractive per se, just... loud. But then again, all Inuzuka's were loud. It was a common trait shared by them. The woman wasn't beautiful in the traditional sense but calling her ugly would be a bold faced lie. She certainly wasn't Kakashi's type but that didn't really matter.
Tsume exuded an exotic beauty. The kind of beauty that was dangerous and that could and would kill you if given the chance. Like a wild beast in its habitat.
"Be that as it may..." Minato spoke slowly, eyes trailing away from Tsume's body so as to not incite more unnecessary flaunts. "You haven't done much to persuade me."
The woman shook her head with an exaggerated sigh before placing her hands atop the man's desk and leaning her upper body forward. "Just give me a chance, Flakey. One chance. That's all I'm askin' for and then ya can go back to being Mr. Hokage Leader Guy. Take the day off and come to the Lotus. Ya won't even hafta drink if ya don't want to."
Minato stared at the woman for several long seconds before shifting his gaze to his only remaining student. His cerulean orbs studied the boy's stoic face, easily spotting the concern in his eyes. His eyes eventually fell towards his son, staring at Naruto with a hint of regret.
Had it really been three weeks? Was his son actually going to be a month old soon? Where had the time gone? Why couldn't he just slow down?
He knew why.
Sighing once again, Minato returned his gaze to the feral woman. "Fine... I'll take a break." He ignored the woman's triumphant expression before returning his gaze to Kakashi. "Before that happens though, I want to apologize to you specifically, Kakashi."
The teen blinked in surprise at his Sensei's words. "Sensei?"
Minato stood to his feet before gliding over to his son and student. Without pause he ruffled Kakashi's hair and smiled at the boy's annoyed grimace. He gently took little Naruto into his arms before continuing. "Because I've saddled an unnecessary responsibility on you due to my negligent self care." He shook his head, not allowing Kakashi to defend his actions. "Regardless of how you personally feel about it... It isn't right. You're still growing Kakashi and I've been stagnating your talent and ability with my own personal problems."
Kakashi vehemently denied Minato's words. "But I want to help you Sensei! You shouldn't have to go through this alone!" He immediately ducked his head, seemingly embarrassed by his outburst. "I lost Kushina that day too... This is how I can repay her for all she's done for me. Let me do this."
Minato stared at his student with a gentle smile before ultimately sighing and ruffling the boys hair. "Fine. I'll allow it. Just don't end up like me, alright?" No other words were needed as Kakashi nodded his head with a minor bow.
The infamous Shinobi turned his attention on Tsume who had remained silent during their conversation, seemingly ignoring them in favor of looking out of the large windows in the back of the office.
"Alright Tsume... You win." He admitted tiredly, raising his hands in defeat. "I'll take a break today. But I'm not drinking."
The feral woman whooped loudly as she about faced towards their direction. "That's what I fuckin' thought!"
An ear piercing cry struck the room as Naruto was awoken from his slumber, causing the three Shinobi to immediately cringe at the sheer volume.
"My bad." Tsume grimaced quietly while rubbing the back of her head.
"How did I let you talk me into this?"
Tsume smirked to herself as she led Minato out of the office. "Stop actin' like you don't want to do this." She continued forward before reaching the end of the hallway and stopping near the spiral staircase, waiting for Minato to finish tidying up his office and activating his weird advanced seals. She leaned on the staircase before before speaking a bit louder due to the increased distance.
"Pussy has always ran yer life, Minato. Don't act like Kushi didn't wear the pants in the relationship." She snorted to herself, crossing her arms underneath her Flak Jacket. "Ya definetly prefer when yer woman makes the decisions. Ain't nothin' wrong with that, pretty boy."
Had Tsume been actually able to see the man then she would have seen a bit of red paint his cheeks. There was nothing wrong with liking headstrong women!
The two continued to idly chatter with one another, trading barbs or in Tsume's case, teasing the ever living shit out of Minato while he grumbled under his breath, occasionally trying to mount his own comebacks only to suffer double the teasing for it.
A tired sigh escaped Minato as he stepped up towards Tsume, motioning down the stairs. "Well... Shall we?"
An obnoxious snort left the woman as she replied. "Wow, such a gentleman. I bet you're a real puss slayer, eh?" Her grin was incredibly sardonic.
"You are so..." Minato struggled to find the words to convey his feelings but eventually settled on, "Annoying."
Loud cackles escaped the woman as she traversed down the stairs while being followed by Minato. "I get that alot, Spikes. It's my desirable trait."
Minato made a face at that before replying. "How Sesshomaru dealt with you is beyond me..."
"I dealt with him." She corrected with a smirk. "And I already told ya why! My attitude is the best when I'm on my hands and knees." She chuckled loudly before continuing. "Sesshomaru could be a real prick at times but..." Tsume trailed off for a moment, tone lacking it's usual playful rancour. "He was a good man. Kept me in line when I really needed it and wasn't scared to let me have it when I deserved it." She sighed to herself as she shook her head, spikey locks bouncing wildly. "I fuckin' miss that asshole."
Minato sympathized with the woman as she reminisced about her dead lover. He had done alot of that and it was usually more harmful than helpful but perhaps that was his weakness. It had taken a few days to truly accept that Kushina was gone and once that hurdle had passed, it only seemed to get tougher.
Little things that he had clearly taken for granted were no longer the same. His home lacked the peace it once held and the silence that pervaded his sanctum became his prison. He no longer wished to be home and was actively avoiding it all costs.
"Enough sad shit." Tsume gruffly spoke, interrupting Minato from his depressing retrospective thoughts. "We needa make a couple of stops before hittin' the Lotus."
Minato furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, idly nodding his head to the Shinobi he passed. "To where?" He asked curiously, waving off salutes and bows from his Shinobi.
Tsume glanced back towards her leader, canines glinting as she smirked. "Yer house, of course." Minato's stomach churned anxiously at her words. "We can't have ya at the club lookin' like this."
Staving off the queasiness from her words about visiting his home, he tilted his head while glancing down at his state of dress.
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Really, what was the problem? He had his signature Haori Cloak and standard Jonin Uniform. He looked fine.
"Ya look like an idiot."
Well, that was uncalled for. Unnecessary, really.
"Look, Flash Boy." How many nicknames did she fucking have?! "Yer cloak says 'I'm the leader of my Village.' We're tryna have some fun and let loose, not sign documents while making passive aggressive comments about how the workforce could be better if they put forth more effort." Minato made an annoyed face at the woman's words. "Don't give me that look. Ya know it's true."
"Be that as it may..." He rolled his eyes while continuing, deftly swiveling around a merchant who wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. "I don't really have casual clothing. Well, I do but... I don't know." He furrowed his eyebrows in thought before speaking slowly. "It's all clothing used for high class events and whatnot. Kushina said they were necessary in the off chance I'm forced to sit with dignitaries and or host frivolous events."
He was proud that he was able to finish that sentence despite knowing it would cause memories of his deceased lover to resurface.
Baby steps, Minato. Baby steps.
Tsume hummed quietly to herself, idly pushing a random civilian out of her way. The individual turned towards the woman with an offended expression and one glance from the feral woman was enough to cause the individual to scamper away.
"Tch. Pussy." She scoffed in annoyance. "Well, we ain't gonna know till we see yer closet and then I'll be the judge of that. Kami knows yer ass doesn't have fashion sense."
Minato rolled his eyes with a silent sigh, occasionally greeting the odd civilian and Shinobi he saw. "You're one to talk about fashion... The last I checked the Inuzuka clan still thinks wolf pelts are trendy. Why should I follow your advice?"
"Cus I'm a woman." She answered without bothering to even think about it. "Women are always right."
While correct, she was also wrong! That wasn't fair!
Minato sighed quietly to himself, subjecting himself to Tsume's whims knowing that fighting back was completely useless. Women like Tsume were incapable of being swayed and he didn't fancy his chances of doing so. Accepting his fate, Minato continued to follow Tsume as she led them to his home, idly thinking of all the things his clones had to do today.
From checking in on Orochimaru and witnessing his progress within the Research and Development Department to conversing with Jiraiya about the existence of his former students and the death of Hanzo.
What a day this was going to be. And it wasn't even three o'clock yet!
Minato, a clone, stepped through the doors of what was perhaps the most advance building in Konoha. Scientific breakthroughs, discoveries and legendary myths were not only uncovered in this facility but created as well.
Passing by the receptionist after getting screened by the ANBU running security, Minato slowly made his way deeper into the building. He passed various rooms, ignoring the quiet chatter and odd noises coming from the rooms.
Florescent light painted the hallways, not unlike the halls of a hospital or a school. Pristine white walls as far as the eye could see with little differences between the rooms.
The Hokage continued his journey for several minutes before finally reaching a room that possessed double doors. He heard a high pitched ringing noise emanating from the room before quietly pushing through the doors and ignoring the attention brought upon himself. A little less than a dozen pair of eyes focused on the blond leader before returning to their observations and tasks.
Minato's eyes glided over the room, spotting what appeared to be five separate sets of the Standard Jonin Flak Jackets. However, two of the five vests were shredded and torn sporting what appeared to be severe scorch marks, as if someone had used a Katon Jutsu to burn through them.
Humming to himself, Minato turned his attention to the observation stands, where a certain snake-like man stood, observing his presence with intrigue. He continued his journey up the flight of stairs, nodding his head to the various scientists and Shinobi.
Reaching Orochimaru, who waved off his colleague as soon as spotting him, Minato spoke. "Orochimaru."
"Minato-sama." The man's raspy voice greeted quietly. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?"
The clone glanced at the snake before turning its attention onto the experiment/test undergoing now. "How is that little project going?"
Orochimaru blinked at the statement before glancing down at the floor, spotting the seal appearing right beneath them.
Ahh, how useful. To be a Seal Master... Such a lofty goal and so far out of sight. It was truly unfortunate.
"It is progressing slowly but that is to be expected." The Sannin ignored Minato's raised brow and instead questioned his leader. "What real reason are you here for? It surely isn't to witness the improvements I've made to Konoha's Military Flak Jackets. What really brings you here?"
The Yondaime shrugged his shoulders, watching as several Shinobi performed Katon Jutsus, aiming the techniques at the third Flak Jacket.
"Has Danzo made contact with you?"
The Snake Sannin smiled at Minato's question, tilting his head while answering. "Knowledge is power, Hokage-sama... What do I gain from Danzo's demise?"
Bored, cerulean orbs centered on Orochimaru. "An extension on your already fragile life timer."
So Minato was capable of possessing humor. It wasn't as if Orochimaru wasn't going to tell the truth, he was just curious on how Minato would answer.
"Kukuku. Of course, Minato-sama." His snake-like smile only increased as he spoke. "That old relic has contacted me. He is unaware that you know about our little experiments."
Orochimaru was a sly and conniving man but at the end of the day, he was a realist and, to be completely honest, a coward. He could play the 'Survivor' card all he wished but if push came to shove then he'd flee from Minato. The Yondaime was not a man you wished to anger and it appeared as if Danzo believed himself to be the mans better.
Minato made a gesture with his hand and Orochimaru continued to speak. "He questioned why I was removed from ANBU and wanted to know why I had been instated as the Head of the Research and Development Department. I told him what he wished to hear." The Snake shrugged in an uncaring manner as he continued. "His actions are his own and should he disappear, I will not be surprised."
Minato nodded his head, turning his gaze back onto the demonstration. The Flak Jacket in the third position had been blasted by several high powered Katon Jutsus but was relatively unscathed, save for a bit of ash and soot.
"He is going to die." Minato stated simply. "Just not now... There are some things I'm looking into at the moment and I'm curious on how the puzzle will look when finished."
Orochimaru's interest had been peaked and while he'd love to ask, he doubted very much so that Minato would explain. But as the man had said, he was still putting the pieces together.
Shooting his shot, Orochimaru gestured with his hand. "Do tell... If it is information pertaining to Danzo then I may possess what you seek."
The Hokage was silent for several minutes, watching the tests being conducted on the Flak Jackets. Finally, after what felt like five minutes, the man spoke.
"Danzo is not as slick as he thinks he is. A paranoid coward is dangerous yes, but only if you allow them to walk unattended. I am not a fool. I know that Ne is still active. I also know that that rat still covets the Hokage position. However, he knows that so long as I live, he will never see it." Minato shrugged as he spoke. "I have never made it a secret of my dislike pertaining to Danzo and I would not be surprised if sensitive information were to leak shortly after his death."
"A rat is only ever worried about its own life. Danzo is the same which makes him easily predictable. Should he disappear, our enemies will know things they shouldn't. Not enough that would cause harm to the Village but enough to strategize and plan." Minato tilted his head while crossing his arms against his chest and leaning against a random desk. "Danzo is a stupid man... For an individual with so much love and fanaticism for something, he sure does make stupid decisions. Hiruzen should have killed him thirty years ago and now it falls unto me to deal with him."
Glancing at Orochimaru, who's attention had yet to be swayed, Minato gestured with his arm. "Does the name 'Nagato' ring any bells with you?"
Orochimaru made a face at the name while narrowing his eyes. "If only briefly... I remember Danzo speaking the name a little over two years ago. It had something to do with Amegakure. He didn't say much pertaining to it when I questioned him but our partnership consisted of few words." The Snake raised an eyebrow while gesturing with his hand. "Why do you ask? Does it have anything to do with the question you asked me a little over a week ago?"
Minato only nodded his head, not bothering to speak anymore on that particular discovery.
"With this information, I suspect that Danzo is running on borrowed time, yes?" Orochimaru proposed with a sly smile.
Minato glanced at the snake before closing his eyes. "If you receive any useful information, then be sure to inform me of it."
"I thought you knew everything that happened at all times." The Snake quipped with a smile.
Minato ignored his words and made to leave. Before being able to, Orochimaru spoke once more.
"I am not sure how useful it is but there are two Uchiha that have managed to gain the attention of Danzo." Orochimaru paused for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of providing this information. "Danzo was able to recruit them but I'm sure that Fugaku steered them to do so. I believe Fugaku is making a move with those two children... Whispers on the horizon are saying that they'll even surpass Kakashi, which is no small feat."
Minato had heard of two distinct Uchihas currently making a name for themselves. They were incredibly gifted for their ages, with one of them being prospected for the ANBU Corps before even enrolling into the academy.
An Itachi and Shisui Uchiha, if Minato remembered correctly.
"I was not aware that Itachi had been drafted already." Minato's voice was calm, dangerously so.
The Snake chose his words wisely. "Best to nip this situation in the bud then, yes?"
Minato said nothing as he disappeared in a yellow flash, leaving Orochimaru to sigh in quiet relief. That had almost gone south extremely quick.
"Do you think Jiraiya-sensei will even consider this?" Yahiko questioned with a raised eyebrow, leaning against the railing of the tallest building in Amegakure. His eyes strayed to the sky, watching as Nagato's rain continued to belt down upon the hidden village.
"The better question to ask is will the Yondaime agree to even speak with us." Konan spoke blandly, flanking her two brothers as they spoke.
Nagato glanced at the woman before speaking. "I stand by my statement regarding the man. I do not think he is as ruthless as the world believes. He perhaps sees his actions as a necessity when faced with the ever living conflict that plagues our world. It is easier to kill than it is to forgive after all."
Konan made a face at Nagato's words. "You only say that because he has yet to show that ruthlessness to us. He is a walking army destroyer, capable of being wherever he wishes to without so much as a single thought."
Yahiko sighed quietly as he continued to watch the rain fall. "If we always worry about the 'what ifs' then we'll never make progress in our world. If you do not give individuals who possess power a reason to seek you out then you don't need to worry about them coming for you."
"And what of Nagato and his Rinnegan?" The lavender haired woman questioned sternly. "You truly believe that men like the Yondaime Raikage won't wage war just to seek this power out?! Or that men like the Sandaime Tsuchikage won't seek to take out said source of power?! We live in a world that's defined by power! Everyone is your enemy, be they family or your neighbor. The Yondaime Hokage is no exception!"
"That's enough, Konan." Yahiko commanded calmly, finally looking away from the downpour of rain. "We cannot move forward if we continue to hide away, always thinking on the negatives. Yes, the world is plagued with men like the paranoid Ohnoki, the power hungry Ay and the ruthless Minato. However, if we refuse to extend an olive branch then we will die as failures. We cannot have peace if we tuck our tails away. I do not wish to participate in battles that stain our lands with blood but I refuse to stay hidden, cowering like that little boy I used to be. If we don't push for changes then changes never happen." His brown eyes pierced through his siblings as he continued. "You can not attain peace without shedding a little blood. The only caveat is whether that blood belongs to your enemies or you yourself..."
Yahiko paused for a moment before returning his attention back to the rain that was soaking his country. "We leave for Konoha in a weeks time. Nagato will stay in Amegakure, protecting our home. I'm sure that Minato will understand my caution in regards to you considering Danzo's actions those few years ago. Konan, you will accompany me and that is final."
The paper wielder held her tongue, refusing to voice her opinion. Her eyes were stormy as she gave a brief nod before immediately vacating the room, not bothering to wait for a dismissal.
"Konan!" Nagato called out in concern, making a step to follow her.
"Let her go, Nagato." Yahiko ordered quietly, sighing to himself. "Allow her some time to herself. I know her intentions are good and I appreciate her concern but we can no longer hide away. We must spread our message and words if we wish for change to happen. It will be painful and it will be full of strife but nothing worthwhile is ever easy. We must all go through the paces and only then will we prosper."
The Uzumaki only offered his de facto leader and brother a nod, agreeing with the words spoken and the harsh, but true reality to them.
"I will make preparations for your journey." Nagato offered, bowing his head.
Yahiko waved his little brothers words off, shaking his head. "Take this time and relax. You needn't worry about Konan and I. We will be fine."
The Rinnegan wielder was unsure but offered a brief nod. "Hai, Yahiko." He left shortly afterwards, leaving the Akatsuki leader to himself.
Minato's clone flashed beside Jiraiya, cerulean eyes glancing about their location. An annoyed twitch of the brow was Minato's only reaction.
Perverse giggling escaped Jiraiya as he scribbled in his notepad. "What a pair on Suzume! A glorious chest fit for a Goddess! I am not worthy."
The clone silently rubbed its face, truly debating on strangling Jiraiya. Mentally counting to three, the clone positioned himself behind Jiraiya before kicking the man directly through the fence he was peeping out of.
The Toad Sage released a yelp of surprise as he crashed through the wooden fence, tumbling head first into the grassy terrain as he rolled into the woman's onsen.
Minato his behind the fence, smiling quietly as several feminine shrieks echoed loudly. There was a brief bout of silence before Jiraiya began to scream in pain.
It sounded harsh.
A minute or two passed by before a wheezing groan emanated from the onsen. Nodding to himself, Minato made his way into the now empty onsen, spotting his Sensei.
"Jiraiya-sensei." The clone greeted with a casual smile. "It appears that some things never change, huh?"
"You're a..." A wheeze. "Dick."
Minato's smile only grew in size as he shortened the distance between them. "And what you're doing is illegal. I could have your rights revoked."
Jiraiya released another groan, rolling unto his back and staring out into the sky with a bruised face. "That'd hurt more than these beatings."
"But then I wouldn't get to see Kunoichis laying down the law on you." Minato shrugged his shoulders with a smile. "There's something about watching an old pervert get beat up that does put a smile on my face."
"You're a cruel one, kid. What did I do to deserve this?"
"It'd honestly be harder to state the things you didn't do." Minato took a seat next to his teacher as he continued. "We need to talk."
Jiraiya furrowed his eyebrows at Minato's serious expression. He slowly rose from his prone position, painfully wheezing as he did. "What's up, kid?"
"Your students from Amegakure..." He started slowly. "I encountered them in Amegakure. More specifically, Konan and Nagato." He turned his gaze on his Sensei as he spoke. "I can only assume that Nagato took out Hanzo. Whatever happened to cause this is mute, it doesn't matter. What matters is that Hanzo no longer holds power and if word spreads about that then one could assume that Ohnoki wouldn't hesitate to make a play for the country."
Jiraiya was silent as he took in this information. He had truly thought that his former students had perished. It was shocking to hear that they not only lived on but that Hanzo had been killed by them.
"This is... concerning." Jiraiya spoke quietly. "But what do you mean? If word spreads? Amegakure is a dead zone. Information is nearly impossible to get. Unless..."
"I gleamed some information from a certain Snake about Danzo and his potential actions in Amegakure. It would not surprise me if Danzo somehow caught wind of a certain Rinnegan wielding Shinobi in Amegakure and made a play to eliminate them and or capture them."
Jiraiya's face hardened as he growled. "That fucking... Tell me we're getting rid of him? Sensei used to always say he was a 'necessary evil' but there's a fine line between excessive force in war and outright subterfuge of civilizations and civil destabilization."
Minato waved off Jiraiya's words. "Don't worry about Danzo. I understand how precarious this situation can be. I highly doubt he doesn't possess multiple contingencies in place of his death. Information leaking being one of those and considering my son is Konoha's newest Jinchuuriki..." He trailed off knowing that Jiraiya would understand what he was getting at.
Not only had Konoha been attacked from within, with the Kyuubi wreaking havoc, but they had also lost their Jinchuuriki in the process. Kushina had been a deterrent for the other Villages because she was powerful without the Bijuu, never needing to resort to using its power. But if their enemies knew that they were bleeding then they would not hesitate to mount an attack.
Minato wished to avoid this at all costs but if push came to shove then he'd dawn his blade like he had done in the Third Shinobi War. If slaughtering another army was the cost to keep his home and family safe then he'd do so again and again.
And that all started with Danzo's downfall. There were going to be repercussions with the man's death and Minato had to prepare for them. It was only a matter of time.
"Just let me know what I need to do and it'll be done." Jiraiya spoke, interrupting Minato's thoughts.
"I will." Minato replied. "However, it will have to wait. The real me is... occupied."
A grin began to spread across Jiraiya's face at the clone's tone. "Hoh? What exactly is the real you doing?"
"Apparently Tsume was able to convince us to go to the Lotus, abandoning our work for the day to just 'relax'." The clone scoffed in a very Minato-like way. "Sounds like a waste of time if you ask me."
Jiraiya's laughter barked loudly as he returned to his prone position. "Didn't know the kid had it in him. Already moving on, eh?"
The clone made a gagging noise at Jiraiya's insinuation. "That woman is not our type."
"I don't know if you know this or not kid but that's incredibly false." Jiraiya corrected easily, closing his eyes and placing his arms behind his head. "That woman is definitely your type. If she had red hair I bet you'd be chasing her down now."
The clone looked ready to combust at Jiraiya's words.
"Don't hate the player, hate the ga-." Jiraiya was cut off from his words due to being forcefully teleported away by Minato. There was silence for a scant few moments before shrill cries rang out from a nearby onsen. Jiraiya's cry of pain was like music to Minato's ears.
"Prick."
"This... This isn't that bad."
Minato had expected alot worse from today's events. After allowing Tsume to basically play dress up in his home, which was a task that was far more difficult than he'd ever like to admit, they had settled on a simple button up shirt with a collar. Black slacks clung to his legs with a simple pair of dress shoes.
It felt so weird not having his actual Jonin uniform on. It had to have been years since he wore actual casual clothing. From training, to becoming an actual Shinobi, to participating in the war and taking on a team, and then topping it off with becoming Hokage... He hadn't worn civilian clothes since his marriage to Kushina and that had been when he was fifteen.
Time sure does fly. Now here he was, in the middle of a bar with a colorful alcoholic beverage in his hand. He couldn't remember picking the thing up to begin with but it was actually incredibly delicious. Perhaps Tsunade knew something he didn't when it came to liquor...
As Minato downed his glass of fancy alcohol that tasted more sugar than anything, his eyes drifted across the club/bar. He recognized many of the individuals in this bar and had since figured out long ago exactly what this establishment was.
He wasn't aware that Shinobi Bars actually existed but it kind of made sense. The life of a Shinobi was vastly different to that of a civilian and relationships were few and far between them. A Shinobi could die at any time and thus, they married young. Cultivating a 'healthy' relationship with a civilian was incredibly difficult for the average Shinobi due to their pessimistic view on life, abnormal work schedule and physical and mental trauma.
Shinobi hid their flaws well. Well enough to fool the average civilian but not their fellow soldiers. And due to this, Shinobi often mingled with other Shinobi because each knew what the other had been through or atleast could relate in one way or another.
Minato wasn't an expert on this subject and that wasn't surprising. He had been in a relationship since he was kid, more or less. But he understood the necessity of an establishment such as this one. A place where his Shinobi could let loose without the fear of being judged for their past actions or inactions regarding their lifestyle.
It was beautiful in a sad way, almost tragically so.
"You're empty!" Tsume's shout emanated from beside him, breaking him from his observations. The feral woman took the empty glass from his hand before placing another one in it. "Don't thank me!" She cheekily spoke, winking as she walked away to go back to the dance floor, hips moving in a tantalizing way as she swayed to the beat of the song playing.
Minato did little else aside from accepting the drink with a nod of the head and an awkward smile. It wasn't hard to see that this was incredibly uncomfortable for him but the fact he was still here and drinking was telling.
He knew he that he didn't hate it though and that's all that mattered. Dare he say it? He was actually kind of enjoying himself. The music wasn't really his taste considering it was meant to make you want to dance and Minato was not a dancer.
But the atmosphere was nice, if not a bit chaotic. The drinks were splendid and if he wasn't careful he may find himself coming here more often than he liked.
Minato tipped his glass towards his mouth, cerulean eyes following after Tsume's form. He gulped down the fruity beverage, watching as Tsume danced with random men and even women.
Before he knew it, he emptied the glass. They had been here for the better part of two hours and the multiple glasses he had finished were finally taking their toll. He was aware of this, but like all light weights, he didn't think it was too bad.
Minato continued to observe Tsume, head tilted just slightly as he leaned against the physical bar of the club. The feral woman looked completely at ease on the dance floor. The liquor in her left hand was balanced masterfully, not spilling or swaying in the slightest despite the crude movements of her body.
And what a body it was...
Having forced him into what he was wearing, she had then dragged him to her home as she changed out of her Jonin uniform. He had exchanged an awkward greeting with the woman's young daughter as he waited outside for the woman to change her wardrobe. It hadn't lasted long, thank Kami for the small miracles.
She had come bounding down the stairs in a tight, crop top. It looked like the shirt had been physically ripped instead of actually tailored and it wouldn't have surprised him if the woman herself had done so with her claws. The shirt nearly matched her tanned skin, showing off her toned abdomen. It showed alot of cleavage but the woman had said that it was normal and he had ultimately decided to take her word for it.
She wore a pair of shorts that were aptly called 'booty shorts' and Minato had found out exactly why they were called that. It really wasn't hard to deduce when she had turned around. Her cheeks were barely even covered and the fact that this was considered casual clothing shocked Minato.
But dammit if they didn't leave anything to imagination. The woman's thick thighs and curvy legs were a sight to behold for everyone she passed. Kunoichis were already considered to be beautiful and desirable due to their bodies and the strenuous training regiments thrust unto them, but a woman like Tsume?
Well, best not to think too deep on that one.
A hazy fog surrounded Minato's vision as he continued to stare at Tsume. Her body glistened brightly due to the sweat on her body, highlighting her abdomen and breasts.
Minato continued to drink his glass, not even questioning the fact that his drink had been replaced once more. His attention was solely on Tsume as her body contorted in sinful ways.
As if sensing his eyes in her, Tsume's vision flicked towards the bar area. Her slitted orbs immediately settled on Minato, almost sizing him up. A small smirk touched her lips as she rose a single clawed digit, beckoning the man with her finger while winking.
Despite the copious amount of alcohol running through his veins, Minato was still cognitive of the fact that he could not dance.
He offered the woman an awkward smile, shaking his head left to right. His denial was for naught as someone, he didn't know who, pushed him towards the dance floor while taking his drink away from him.
Minato wasn't a skilled Shinobi for nothing and immediately found his footing despite his inebriated state. However, what had been done could not be undone. He was now within reaching distance of the feral woman who's eyes were nothing short of dirty.
Minato nearly made to bolt from the dance floor before a pair of clawed hands caught his wrist. His eyes widened before his body was forcefully tugged towards the Matriarch of the Inuzuka Clan.
Her other hand grabbed ahold of his other wrist, truly preventing him from getting away. Their height difference was now far more apparent with him being nearly a head taller.
They stood chest to chest with one another for what felt like an entire minute. Tsume's smirk only seemed to grow larger, exposing her larger than average canines.
Minato stood rigidly, fingers clasping and unclasping as he stared into the woman's slitted pupils. He could feel the rise and fall from her chest, her breathing trying to stabilize due to her raging pulse.
"Why ya nervous, Flash?" She questioned with playful eyes. Despite the blaring music and loud individuals around them, he heard her clearly. "Scared?"
Normally, the woman's playful taunt would have been ignored. It was simple teasing, he knew it. But in his inebriated state, he took it for something else.
"Of you?" He fired back with a raised eyebrow. "Not a chance."
She seemed slightly surprised at his response, evident by the raised eyebrow she was now sporting. "Hoh... Look at youuuu." Her smirk continued to grow. "Some liquor in ya and ya grow a spine. But tell me, is this an act or the liquor? Cus I'm gonna keep pressing yer buttons..."
The woman proceeded to stand on the tips of her toes, grazing her nose upon his cheek. Her warm breath tickled his ear as her left leg stepped in between his legs, brushing up against a certain appendage that she really shouldn't be.
"So, what're ya gonna do bout it, Pretty Boy?" Her voice changed drastically, coming out with a slight rasp to it.
Freezing for just the briefest of moments and sobering up for just a minute, Minato was finally able to comprehend what was happening. In this position, this close to a woman who had been giving off interesting signals the entire day, he possessed two responses.
To concede and suffer more teasings or push back and challenge the woman. He knew what would happen if he chose the first option. He had been doing it the entire day and quite frankly, it was getting stale. Not that he minded Tsume's playful barbs and whatnot but he just wanted... more.
And for the first time that day, Minato did something that would set off a chain reaction. All budding from a simple challenge of words and some liquor.
The Yondaime narrowed his eyes as he stared down at the woman. His muscles flexed and he immediately noticed the excited gleam worming its way into the woman's eyes.
With a degree of strength and speed that was quite honestly surprising considering the man's inebriated state, he managed to twist the woman around whilst trapping her against his chest.
Tsume' back slammed flush against Minato's chest and she briefly entertained the thought of trying to escape, excited to see what Minato would do if she tried.
Upon trying to resist the hold the man had on her, his strength only doubled and she was pulled even closer to him. A wild grin blossomed upon Tsume's face as she continued to struggle against Minato's ironclad grip.
Minato's head lowered, lips tickling one of the woman's ears. "You like being manhandled don't you?" It took all of his willpower to not react as the woman ground her hips against his pelvis. "You love when a man pushes you back. You love when he takes charge and dominates you, don't you?"
A low growl escaped the woman's throat but her grin seemed to only grow larger. Her muscles flexed fiercely as she tried to break free from Minato's hold but she failed every time, inferior to Minato's raw strength.
"And if I do?!" She growled out, slamming her head against his chest while squirming in his grasp. "Ain't nothin' wrong with that!" She huffed out breathily, sweat dripping down her body.
Minato's own breathing matched Tsume's as he continued to reign the woman down. The inklings of a smirk made its way unto his face as he took both her wrists with one hand, reveling in her surprise at how strong he actually was, and placed his now free hand upon her stomach, fingers stroking her muscular abdomen.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He mockingly asked, fingers becoming slick with the woman's sweat.
"Don't act like yer not!" She growled back, hips bucking against the man's pelvis. "Yer dick seems to agree with me! Gettin' hot and bothered, Flashy?" She mockingly asked, slowly grinding her hips against the man's lower appendage.
Minato's fingers danced on the woman's skin before abruptly shooting south, briefly shocking the feral woman as his fingers rested dangerously close to the area her nether lips resided.
Tsume was genuinely surprised at how forward and bold Minato was being. She was keenly aware of all of the eyes currently upon her and the Hokage. Whilst enjoying the man's presence and forwardness, she did not genuinely think he'd do something like this.
Minato was a private man, if not slightly sheltered to a degree, and witnessing him doing something so dirty in public seemed to surprise even the Shinobi in the Lotus.
But should she stop it? Inebriated as she was, she knew her limits. She hadn't reached them, not even closely, so she was cognitive enough of the fact that if this continued, they were going to do something.
That something being each other, of course. Minato was not a drinker and the fact he guzzled down nearly six drinks said all that she needed to know. The man wasn't acting as himself and she should probably stop them while possessing this brief amount of sobriety.
Tsume was moments away from doing that very thing before feeling Minato's lips graze along the skin of her neck. Her legs clenched harshly, thighs squishing together at the sensual contact.
It had been awhile since she had been intimate with another individual. Five months to be specific. After Sesshomaru's death, she had been a wreck. A brief one but a wreck nonetheless. Her children kept her grounded and she had grieved quietly and alone.
Only recently had she finally gone out to mingle. She wasn't necessarily looking for another lover or a replacement any time soon. She only wanted to dip her toes back into the single life and enjoy herself.
But at the end of the day, she'd come home alone. Her children were lovely, even if all little Kiba did was cry and shit himself, but he was a baby so she couldn't necessarily fault him for that. Hana was slowly becoming a mini-her and it was absolutely adorable. Annoying, but adorable.
But they were her children and therefore the intimacy and love she gave them was not the intimacy and love she could get from a lover. And at the end of the day, Tsume was a woman.
An Inuzuka woman.
So, when Minato's lips grazed her neck for the third time, no one could fault her twisting her head, taking the man's lips with her own and forcing her tongue into his mouth. She knew he was surprised when his hold on her slacked, allowing her to free herself whilst pushing him into the nearest wall, trapping him against it and her. Her tongue continued to explore the man's mouth as her clawed fingers raked up and down his chest.
Minato allowed the woman free reign, still feeling in shock. Feeling the woman's clawed fingers upon his chest finally brought him back to reality. The Hokage released a low throaty growl, hands planting themselves upon the woman's waist. Using his strength, he flipped their positions, slamming the feral woman against the wall he had previously been pinned against. Minato's right hand sought the woman's throat, roughly clamping down.
"Ya like chokin', do ya?!" Tsume questioned breathily as her own hands wrapped around the wrist of the hand pinning her against the wall. "Yer so lucky I like bein' choked'!" Minato's response was to squeeze harder, causing a low moan to escape Tsume. "Sonuvabitch!"
Lost in a haze of pleasure and alcohol Minato was truly unaware of his actions, acting purely on instinct. He didn't remember slamming Tsume against the club walls nor did he remember choking her. The man definitely didn't remember nearly ripping her crop top off in the club, stroking her body as he did so.
Come to think of it... He didn't remember even going home last night.
A splitting headache assaulted Minato as his eyes slowly creaked open. A groan escaped his lips as his eyes tried to adjust to the light in his room. Taking a few moments to actually allow his body to wake up, he blindly reached out towards his night stand that sat on the side of his desk.
Odd.
That didn't feel like a mahogany night stand. It felt like flesh, which was incredibly odd. His nightstand was situated on the left side of his queen sized bed. He made sure to always sleep on the right side so that when his alarm blared, he'd be forced to roll over to stop it. But the fact that he wasn't touching his desk and was instead touching someone caused his blood to run cold. His headache returned full force and he was actually terrified of opening his eyes.
Deep breaths, Minato. Deep breaths.
Taking a moment to calm himself, Minato slowly opened his eyes. His cerulean orbs adjusted to the light far better than the last time as he stared at the unfamiliar ceiling of the room he was in. His pulse quickened as he continued to stare at the ceiling.
Minato didn't want to look to his left. Didn't want to acknowledge the truth that stared so openly in front of him. He was in a room he didn't recognize, likely in a home that was not his, naked.
He had figured that out rather quickly after waking up. The silk sheets rubbing against his skin was a give away and it didn't raise any red flags because some days Minato slept in his boxers. It wouldn't have been that surprising of him to just drop down naked in his bed after consuming a large amount of alcohol.
Minato was now keenly aware of the night stand he had been touching. Obviously, it wasn't wood nor was it an actual night stand. It had been flesh. Soft, yet slightly firm with a peculiar hardened tip near the center.
Yes, that was a breast. Minato, you're a genius.
Anxiety coursed through his veins as he continued to stare at the ceiling. He knew what was happening. He wasn't an idiot. However, he didn't want to acknowledge it.
Bits and pieces were coming back to him as he tried to recall the events that led him here. Where to start...?
Probably when Tsume had barged into his office, demanding him to come with her to the Lotus to relax. He remembered that clearly. He also remembered changing his clothes once agreeing to go out with the woman with the woman herself doing the same at her own home.
Things started to get blurry once he actually got to the club. He distinctly remembered Tsume handing him a colorful drink and telling him to relax. He also recalled watching her dance and boy, did she have some hips on her.
Relax, dumb ass. His mind sobered him rather quickly, returning him to the present.
He remembered downing a few of the drinks, not really feeling the buzz from the alcohol. Witnessing the woman dance and gyrate her hips had stirred something fierce within his bones.
His head began to ache as brief flashes of images appeared in his head. He glimpsed holding the woman by her throat, seeing the lust and excitement in her eyes. Another image appeared in his head and this particular image was alot more...
Well, then... Tsume had a beautiful pair on her didn't she?
"Ughhh... Fuck. My head..."
Minato's thoughts were interrupted as the woman, who he had definetly just slept with, grumbled lowly. The Hokage grimaced to himself before slowly rotating his head towards the woman.
Tsume slowly sat up in the bed, blanket falling to reveal her naked chest and perky breasts. There were a few scars littered across her chest and abdomen and honestly, it fit her. Her wild mane of spikey hair seemed to be even more wild and Minato didn't even think that was physically possible.
The feral woman released a jaw popping yawn, uncaring of the fact that she was naked. She smacked her lips several times before finally opening her eyes.
She sniffed a single time before her eyes darted to the left. Slitted pupils stared directly into Minato's cerulean orbs. She was silent for several long seconds, causing Minato's anxiety to spike.
After several long seconds, a lovely smirk painted her face. "Well, hellloooo there, Spikey." She threw off the blanket covering her body, swinging her legs off the side of the bed and standing to her feet, uncaring of the fact that she was standing completely nude. "Last night was..." She paused for a moment, turning towards Minato and allowing him to see everything. "Amazing. Yer the fastest man in the Elemental Nations but ya lasted longer than I did... My legs are still fucking sore."
The woman barked out a loud laugh before slowly making her way out of the room. Making it to the door, she turned around before leaning her hips on it, accentuating her curvy body.
"Want some breakfast before ya head out?"
Minato blinked several times, suddenly finding himself very thirsty. His eyes kept betraying his will, dipping down to stare at the woman's body.
"If yer gonna stare atleast let me see yers again, shit." Tsume quipped with a laugh. "Come on, Pretty Boy." She gestured with her head. "There's some spare clothes in the closet and the bathroom is to yer right. Wash the stink off and join me in the kitchen. We need to talk about last night."
Having said her peace the feral woman stepped out of the room, making sure to sway her hips. And he had definitely been staring.
The Yondaime Hokage sat quietly for a minute or so before finally speaking, summing up the entire situation.
"Shit."
AN: YESSSSIRRRRRRRRRR