Naruto

"And may the Queen Mother of the West grant us patience to overcome today's struggles." Naruto took a deep breath and tried to focus on the tranquil face of Seiōbo. He imagined the mother of all Uzumaki looking down at him from her throne of starlight with the love his mother never showed. The image of a divine woman, clad in robes made of a thousand suns, watching over Kushina and him made his heart shudder. Out of all the gods of Uzu, Seiōbo held the highest place in his prayers. While Emperor Guan was what he strived to follow, the Queen Mother caught him when he failed, only to send him higher. "Bless us with an understanding of our enemies."

"Are you done yet?" Minato Namikaze crossed his arms. "I understand your superstitions are important but aren't we supposed to be celebrating your homecoming?"

Kushina lit the final candle and placed her forehead on the altar to speak a private prayer. Then, content, she turned to face the other blond with a smile far too pleasant. "Come now, Minato! You know how Naruto is. These things are very important to him."

"I suppose so." Minato peered at his rival with an unreadable expression. "I am shocked that Orochimaru never beat this out of you."

Naruto felt the influence of his goddess fading by the second. "Say, aren't you now referred to as the 'Yellow Flash'?"

"That I am in the latest reports from Iwa." Minato tilted his head at the sudden change in topic.

"No wonder you're still single," Naruto watched as the man took a few seconds to process the insult before turning beat red. It took him three weeks to figure out a good way to twist the nickname into something usable as an insult. While not his most clever comeback, it seemed to have gotten a strong reaction. "Don't worry. Your hand doesn't complain."

Kushina whacked him on the back of the head. "And your hand will be busy tonight if you don't play nice." Her anger turned to Minato suddenly. Her blow to his groin showed little mercy, and Naruto wondered if the man would have children. "And you're too damn early! I wanted a quick fuck before dinner, dattabane!" She huffed and entered the house while muttering about stupid blond men.

"Thanks for the cock-block," Naruto blew out the candles on the altar. "Just because you don't get laid doesn't mean I shouldn't get any action."

Minato groaned and dropped to the ground next to him. His will to bicker with Naruto faded as another wave of pain twisted his stomach. "I swear, her blows get more powerful by the day. If I did not know better, I would think Tsunade trained her."

"What do you want, Minato?" Tired of the conversation, he wanted to get away as soon as possible. "I want to take a bath."

The Yellow Flash of Konoha shifted uncomfortably, wishing for an icepack or a bag of frozen vegetables. "How did you manage to kill the Tsuchikage? We're both pretty good, but Ōnoki is…was considered the strongest Kage."

The implications were clear as crystal.

"No, I did not use the Nine-Tails' chakra." He frowned at the mere thought of the demon dwelling within. According to Mito, the burden of the Nine-Tails involved more than the lurking presence nibbling at the corners of the mind. At desperate moments, the kitsune promised power beyond anything else in exchange for submission. Legends told of many great people who took the fox's bargain only to be betrayed by a hidden clause in the argument. To lie and mislead such was the way of demons.

Minato frowned and shook his head. "Naruto…the Nine-Tails is a mighty boon to the village. You cannot ignore it forever. Kushina and I have ways of suppressing its chakra in an emergency."

"Say no more." Naruto turned his focus to the gods of Uzu. "My strength comes from my hard work. To embrace the demonic is to embrace the madness, says Emperor Guan. For all his strength, Ōnoki made a single error that allowed me to deliver a killing blow. He died the death of a true warrior. If only all men were so lucky."

This conversation had been repeated multiple times. Minato and Hiruzen expected him to use the Nine-Tail's power, with even Kushina making subtle suggestions of tapping into the limitless power of his charge. He could not fault them for such thinking. As the sole Jinchūriki of Konoha, it was his duty to counter the tailed-beasts other nations deployed. Without using the powers of the Nine-Tails beyond the natural physical advantages it gave him, he faced many disadvantages if forced to battle against another jinchūriki. His loyalty to Konohagakure, while significant, was not total. Only a few things could force his hand to turn against the village that took him in, and forcing him to tap into the fox's power came extremely close.

"Very well, Naruto." Minato left him alone to speak with Kushina.

Naruto tried not to hate Minato, but the thought of the other blond constantly trying to wiggle into his fiancée's heart boiled his blood. Every trip out of the village came with the nagging desire to kill the last Namikaze; he did not know if it came from his mind or the fox's influence. While his faith in Kushina was total, the constant attempts of Minato dug at a fear of abandonment caused by a heartless father more obsessed with gambling than caring for a struggling family. He only tolerated Minato's presence out of loving seeing Kushina happy. She believed things would improve, especially once they officially tied the knot.

"Dawn and dusk come no matter what man does," he calmed a raging mind with the wisdom of the ancients. The sounds of birds filled his head with their playful songs as dusk descended on the village. Mothers called their children to supper, and fathers greeted their families with joy. Despite the suffering of the world, life marched forward.

A soft kiss brought his wandering soul back to its fleshy home. "We need to get you in the bath." Kushina kneeled in front of him, violet eyes wide with glee. "Dinner is almost done, and your little ones will be here any second now."

As commanded, Naruto marched through the house toward the master bedroom. Their home, a simple two-story house tucked away in an older neighborhood in the eastern part of the city, contained everything they loved about life. Orange and red came together to form a warm union that left no room void of color. Scrolls of Uzumaki seals hung on the wall as art pieces, a testament to Kushina's skill. At the same time, weapons forged by his hand served as centerpieces on tables or cabinets. The door to their bedroom contained a special seal that only allowed access to himself or Kushina, serving as a ward to their inner sanctum.

Once finished with his bath and grooming, he prepared himself to entertain the guests and Minato. Kushina laid out a fancy orange sweater and black pants for him on the bed. He guessed she did not want him to come down wearing armor or one of his bright orange smithing jumpsuits. With a deep breath, the God of War dressed and steeled himself for the gathering.

"Nice to see ya, kid!" Jiraiya, Toad-Sage and one of the legendary Sannin, relaxed on the sofa with a cup of sake. "Glad to see you're still among the living. The reports painted a grim scene on the frontlines."

Despite the rivalry between him and Minato, Naruto enjoyed the sage's company more than his own sensei. Kushina introduced them over dinner three years ago at the start of their romantic relationship. Their shared sense of humor and love of the ancient texts made them fast friends. Whenever in town, Jiraiya made a habit of joining the couple for dinner at least once. Whenever the time came for the first Uzumaki to be born, Naruto knew no better man to serve as a godfather. In a perfect world, he would have been made the student of Jiraiya instead of Orochimaru.

"We managed to stabilize the battlelines and retake the major river crossings over the Ryu River." He took a seat in the recliner that served as his throne. "I did not expect Iwa's front to collapse quickly and almost missed the opportunity at Koharu."

Located in the occupied territories of the Land of Grass, Koharu served as the forward command base of Iwagakure's occupation force. The city, not much bigger than Konoha, became valuable following the capture of the Kannabi Bridge. The Third Company, reinforced by squads from Sunagakure, prevented Iwa forces from withdrawing. The defenders of Koharu, under the command of Ōnoki, Third Tsuchikage, mounted a desperate last stand that forced a two-week siege that saw most of the historic city burned in a massive fire attack. Those who survived the attack surrendered after Naruto slew Ōnoki in a duel.

"My heart goes out to those innocents caught in the battle," Minato joined them with a bowl of chips. "I have seen photographs of the aftermath. But, unfortunately, it will take years for the population to recover."

Naruto hated to agree with Minato, but the damage caused by his decision to catch the entire city on fire cost many civilians their lives. He hoped their sacrifice saved many more lives by ending the war quickly. "I believe that Iwa will be forced to peace talks," he poured a cup of sake. "The loss of the Tsuchikage and Koharu will blunt their offensive capabilities for at least a year. We can push them back to the border and negotiations in that time."

"The price of peace is paid in the blood of the innocent." Jiraiya sighed heavily. "It is better to end a war quickly than to allow it to drag on. Far more people will die in a dragged-out conflict than in a brutal action. I don't like it, Naruto, but you made the right decision."

While earning praise in front of Minato always felt nice, he found no solace in the sage's agreement. How many charred corpses and broken hearts did he leave behind in Koharu? How many children screamed for a parent that would never answer? How many families were shattered when their loved one failed to return?

A knock at the front door broke him from his brooding. Kushina skipped out of the kitchen to answer it. "I was wondering when you three would get here!"

Asuma, Kurenai, and Raidō shuffled into the house like a pack of stray dogs. He noticed Asuma sporting a fresh pack of cigarettes in his front pocket and Raidō eagerly flipping through the latest issue of 'The Hidden Lust Village.' Kurenai followed behind them with a single candy bar and a scowl that could melt iron. It appeared that his hope of Kurenai reigning in her teammates had as much success as Kushina overcoming her addiction to bubblegum pop. Finally, he would ensure his crimson-eyed student received a proper reward. Perhaps, he thought with a smile, Kushina could take her out for some quality time. While thriving in a team of generally brutish men, his sole female student desperately wanted a more feminine role model. She idolized Kushina but seemed too shy to initiate a genuine conversation with the seal mistress.

"And I thought Minato would be my least favorite guest," Naruto smirked at his student's deadpanned expressions. "I must be pretty damn great if you three want to spend time with me outside of missions or training."

Raidō tilted the magazine to extend a centerfold of a bikini-clad woman. "Honestly, I'm here for the free food."

"It is your lucky day," Kushina raised a ladle. "The ramen is done!"

Kushina

Dinner in the Uzumaki household could never be considered peaceful.

It began during the serving of the ramen, with Naruto trying to claim the entire pot for himself. A swift knock with her trusty ladle ended his ambitions and banished him to the back of the line. Each guest received a blue bowl as per tradition in the Uzumaki clan. The heads of household, Naruto and her, got to have a personalized bowl in their favorite color. In his attempts to look cool, Minato tried to grab the orange bowl. A swift knock with the ladle sent him to the back of the line behind Naruto. Luckily, the children behaved far better than the adults and received the first portions. Jiraiya knew the rules from past experiences, accepting his bowl with a deep bow. She prepared her own bowl before finally feeding the troublemakers. The conversation took on a light-hearted tone thanks to Jiraiya growing tipsy from the sake. Story after story from the toad sage earned a choir of laughter from everyone at the table, with pleasant small talk filling the gaps.

"I'll do the dishes," Naruto declared once everyone had their fill. She accepted his help gladly, always happy to have someone willing to carry the load with her. It was one of the many things she loved about the man. He did not view her as a housewife but as an equal.

"Thank you, love." She placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "I wish to take a short walk. Team Ten, mind entertaining the senior citizen?" Jiraiya gasped at the insult but got distracted by Raidō's new magazine. "Join me, Minato." She ignored Naruto's frown and left the house with the Jonin Commander close…too close…behind.

Once on the crisp autumn night, Kushina squared her shoulders and looked at her second-favorite blond. She loved Minato almost as much as Naruto, thinking of him like a brother. Out of everyone in their academy class, he complimented her hair before any other boys did. They worked on numerous new seal designs together for the village's sake and worked as partners in the Hokage's office. Many people, Mikoto included, secretly rooted for Minato winning her heart in the end. However, her heart belonged to only one person.

"Give me the latest status reports, Jonin Namikaze." Unbeknownst to her future husband, Kushina had been named the official successor of the Third Hokage six months ago. She hated to keep the second-greatest moment in her life so hidden. Still, Hiruzen worried that Iwa would target Naruto on the battlefield if word reached them of their relationship. However, the turning tides of the war meant that the time drew near for the public reveal. So she decided, consequences be damned, to tell Naruto before anyone else.

"Yes, Lady Hokage." Minato pulled a small scroll from his pouch. "As you expected, the Land of Earth is in full retreat on all fronts. Iwagakure's chain of command is fragmented after the death of Ōnoki. Current estimates place their combat strength well below half."

She clicked her tongue. "How long before they break into a full route?"

Minato rubbed the back of his head. "Hard to say. Shikaku thinks we can break them by the end of the campaigning season. Their defeat at Koharu has shaken the rank shinobi greatly."

Kushina remained silent as they walked through the empty streets toward the Hokage Tower. Her decision to unleash Naruto came with many protests from Minato and Hiruzen. They feared a heavy-handed approach could rally Iwagakure into a desperate last stand. But, at the end of the day, her fiancé scored a series of unexpected victories that turned the tide. The old monkey owed her dinner.

"Personal opinions?" She glanced at him with a natural expression. His opinions, like always, would be heavily critical of Naruto's methods in favor of something more subtle.

"We will win the war thanks to Naruto," Minato's admission surprised her. "However, the atrocity at Koharu will harm our reputation. Blowing up bridges and night raids on enemy positions is one thing. A dangerous precedent is set when burning an entire city and putting the populace to the sword. I stand by my request to have him publicly punished. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way of your duty."

Kushina remained calm despite the sudden urge to beat the blond. "Watch your words, Minato. I value your company and council but will not allow an insult to my honor. That said, please continue."

Minato struggled to meet her gaze. "His title of 'God of War' is a great boon during wartime but one that has no place in peace. There is not a single member of our forces that does not know of his desire for battle. Once a treaty is signed, he will become a 'God of War' without a war to fight. This ties into my second concern about him."

"The Nine-Tails," Kushina smirked at his shocked expression. "I overheard you talking to him about it. I do not believe he used it against Ōnoki."

"How can you be so certain?" They stopped at the canal dividing Konoha. She leaned against the railing to look into the clear water that served the entire village. Her features softened considerably as a genuine smile appeared.

"Do you know when I actually fell in love with him?"

Minato scowled but said nothing.

"It happened after my attempted kidnapping by Kumogakure." She tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. "Naruto came after me despite Hiruzen demanding him to wait for a full team. The last the village needed after having the last pure-blood Uzumaki taken was a captured jinchūriki."

The situation always remained a touchy subject for Minato. He decided not to give chase to the kidnappers while Naruto rushed ahead to save her. Naruto never forgave him for abandoning her so quickly, and he began to question Naruto's dedication to the village. Along with causing a diplomatic crisis, it forged a rift between a pair of brothers.

"You've seen the reports. Naruto unleashed the fox's chakra and slaughtered my captors. Be glad you did not have to see the carnage left behind or witness him devouring the bodies. Shocked? Hiruzen made sure not to include that detail in the official report. As a young girl playing ninja, it gave me nightmares. We did not see each other for three months. You took me out on my first real date and got my first kiss in that timeframe." They shared a mutual smile as memories of that distant summer.

Minato nodded slowly. "You never told me what I did wrong."

"Frankly, you were the perfect boyfriend. Smart, handsome, and a prodigy. My parents would have loved the idea of us as a couple." Her pale hand covered his. "I had been looking for Jiraiya-Sensei when I found Naruto in front of a little makeshift altar in the forest. Curiosity overcame my initial fear. He was praying to the gods of Uzu. Her eyes hardened before continuing the story. "This is to stay between us, Minato. If you repeat a word of this to anyone…."

"You have my word." He squeezed her hand gently. "Promise."

"Naruto did not lose control of the Nine-Tails."

Minato blinked. "Excuse me?"

"He willingly gave into the fox." The man froze as the words left her mouth. A jinchūriki that listened to their inner demon ran the risk of going insane. Rumor had it that Mito Uzumaki developed strange cravings as old age deteriorated her mind enough to give the fox far more influence. "Naruto truly believed that his soul was destined for eternal hell. He accepted the fact and asked the gods to look after me. In his mind, he accepted damnation to save me. Call me foolish, but I fell in love with him at that second and promised to become his wife."

Neither spoke as the full moon climbed into the night sky. She gripped his hand tightly, silent tears flowing down her face.

"Does he know this?" Minato broke the silence. He tried to sound calm, yet the brokenness of his tone threatened to force more tears from her. This was the final rejection.

"I am planning on telling him on our wedding night." Kushina released him and dried her eyes on her shelve. "Got a whole poem prepared for it, dattebane!"

Minato forced a smile, turning away to hide his own tears. "I am happy for you, Kushina."

Minato

An empty apartment greeted an empty man.

Minato opened the front door of his apartment just as another fresh wave of tears began to flow down the door. Kushina's revelation broke what little hope remained of him winning her heart. Her mind had been made up long ago despite his best efforts. For the first time in recent memory, he completely lost a battle.

"Why the tears?"

In a flash, Minato slipped into a combat stance with a kunai ready to counter any attack. Blue eyes scanned the darkness for the intruder but found nothing. "Show yourself!"

"You cry about your lost woman when the solution is clearly in front of you." The voice slithered up his spine, an odd mixture of masculine and feminine traits. "We can help each other out, my dear Minato."

Orochimaru grinned wickedly as Minato lowered the kunai.

The snake comes forward! What wonderful idea does the totally loyal and caring snake sanin have?

I always found it stupid that Kushina never became Hokage. It would have made so much more sense given Naruto's own obsession with becoming Hokage. Not to mention, it would have been a perfect mirror of Kaguya and her son(s). Naruto might have looked like Minato, but his spirit was definitely more akin to his mother's.

The Tailed-Beasts in this timeline are a lot meaner and darker than in Canon. Eventually, Naruto will befriend Kurama but that is a long way off. All jinchūriki struggle with their demon whispering to them, and Kurama is considered the evilest of all. He has a lot more influence over Naruto's behavior than the blond cares to admit. Mito, by the end, almost completely fell under its influence.

Thanks for reading! I'll see ya' next time.