"Are we there yet?"
I haven't bothered to keep track of how long Minato and I have been travelling but, based on the way he has been pacing his running in rhythmic intervals to conserve his chakra, I can only assume the worst.
I'm caught between the torturous limbo of nodding off in exhaustion and being jostled awake each time Minato would be required to take a longer stride to compensate for the tree spacing, or maneuver around any ill-placed branches. Each time this would happen, he would apologize profusely and offer to shift me from his back to carry me in his arms against his chest, as he had before. As comfortable as that position had been, being situated on Minato's back is far more practical.
And a lot less...intimate, I hope.
I hear Minato chuckle in response to my blunt impatience, though it is strained due to his quiet panting, his breathing becoming more laboured with each stride he takes. "Hmm?...Bored already, Kushina?"
So, Namikaze Minato is finally showing signs of fatigue like the rest of us mortals.
"But of course,", I respond simply while absentmindedly twirling a yellow lock of spiky, yet surprisingly soft, hair between my fingers. To my slight disappointment, Minato doesn't comment on the gesture, seeming to maintain a strict focus on his running. I give a few quick tugs for good measure.
And here I thought it would be coarse like straw or sharp like a porcupine but...It's actually much softer than it looks...
I release the lock of hair that I'd been playing with, and rake all of my fingers through his hair, starting from the roots on top of his head and moving downwards in a 'combing' motion. I laugh lightly to myself as his unruly chunks of hair fight against my fingers, springing right back up to shoot out in all directions. After several futile attempts to tame Minato's infamous 'gravity defying hair', I grow bored, and my fingers continue to trail downward towards the base of his neck.
"How much longer, Minato?" I question him again, but this time I hear his breath hitch ever so slightly as I use my index finger to lazily draw Eddy spirals on the back of his neck beneath his mop of yellow hair.
"I-if we keep this pace...", Minato pauses briefly with a grunt as he takes a longer leap again, clearing the tree gap and landing gracefully on the next branch before continuing, "...I'd say about two hours at least. I'm going as fast as I can with you on my back, but we're still quite far from the village."
Two hours!?
"You gotta be kidding!?" I let out an exasperated sigh and slump forward with more drive than intended, nearly sending us both toppling forward in the process.
Lucky for us, Minato is quick to readjust and regain his footing, narrowly dodging a low branch that came dangerously close to slamming right into his knee caps. Even with carrying me on his back, he maneuvers through the air with an advanced agility and grace that leaves me hanging between gawking in awe and pouting in jealousy. After safely planting his feet on the next branch and correcting his balance, he tilts his head just enough for our eyes to meet.
Minato's expression is as soft as always, but his ocean-blue eyes read 'behave yourself back there, otherwise you'll end up killing us both'.
"Uh-oops! Sorry about that, ya know." I laugh sheepishly and give Minato an apologetic pat on the head, relieved shortly after that all is forgiven when the corner of his lips quirk into a grin.
"No worries. Let's just...try to return home in one piece, okay?" He chuckles and gives his head a quick shake from side-to-side, knocking my hand off from the top of his head, before picking up the pace with a spring in his step.
I feel Minato's callused hands tighten around my thighs as we approach a hillside covered in rocky terrain, the peak stretching about fifty meters high. He begins his treks up the steep formation, his legs fighting hard against the incline before we reach the top. Looking over his shoulder, I can see just over the tree line, but the darkness is still making far too difficult to make out anything father than a few klicks ahead.
After only a quick glance around the area, Minato leaps back down into the hoard of trees again, effortlessly maneuvering through as though he's done this a hundred times over.
He seems very certain he knows where he's going; either that, or he's really good at pretending to be. My money is on the latter...
"Sooo, you're sure you know where you're going?" I raise myself up high on Minato's back to look over his shoulder, watching curiously as he bounds through the trees. "We're not even on a marked trail, and everything in this stupid forest looks the same."
It feels like we've been travelling for hours, so shouldn't we've passed by another village by now? Or at the very least a food stand? Ramen, preferably.
"Yes, we're not following the common travellers trail, and for good reason." There's a sudden seriousness to his response, one that leaves me curious and deciding to prod for more answers.
"Oh? Why's that?" I tiredly lean myself against his back, wrap my arms loosely around his shoulders and rest my chin near the nape of his neck while I wait for an explanation.
Huh. Were his shoulders always this broad?
Minato's next leap sends us up to a high into a tall-standing tree which is shrouded with a thick mass of leaves, hiding us in the shadows from the already dim lighting. He bends slightly at the back and pauses to release my legs, silently gesturing for me to slide of his back. I reluctantly leave my new-found comfortable position by unhooking my legs from his waist and removing my arms from around his neck.
Once I'm steadied back on my own feet, Minato brings himself to answer my question while he takes a minute to stretch his muscles, focusing mainly on his back and legs.
"Though I disposed of the Cloud Ninja escorting you, it's fair to say that we're not in the clear just yet...that's why we need to keep moving." Minato bends low in a final stretch with his head angled downwards, staring thoughtfully at the ground.
"You think there's more of them? Are we being followed?"" My eyes unconsciously dart towards the shadows surrounding us, unsettled by the possibility of having to engage in a battle in my current state.
There's no way I could keep up in a full-scale fight in my current condition, especially if it's chūnin or, even worse, jōnin after us. If anything, I would only be a liability to Minato.
"There's a strong possibility, yes. I find it highly unlikely that there was only one team of three assigned to a mission in the heart of enemy territory. No, I strongly suspect they had allies waiting close to the boarder as support or another team on standby within our boarders if something were to happen-"
"Something like you?" I watch, becoming slightly amused as I can just barely catch a glimpse of a tinge of pink on his cheeks, a colour that surprisingly moves to my cheeks as well.
Great. Is 'this' going to a regular thing? Am I going to feel this way every time I look at him now?
...Not good.
Minato nods humbly and he continues with his explanation while cleaning himself up, using a small cloth from his gear pouch to wipe the sweat and grime from his face and neck. I only watch for a moment before tearing my eyes away to stare down at my feet, trying to listen to his words over the sound of my quickening heartbeat.
"The easiest way for us to avoid conflict is to avoid all paved trails and main routes, including the one I followed to track you earlier. As leaf shinobi, we know our land better than they do, so we need to use that to our advantage. It's likely that they'll back-track towards the village in search of us using their predetermined route, one that was probably decided when they were mapping out their mission." Minato gives his hands a quick wipe before placing his the clothe back in his pouch and readjusting his headband.
I shoot Minato a curious frown and question him further, interested in hearing his thoughts on the situation. "So, what? You were betting on them either being too smart or too cowardly to follow us at the risk of getting lost?"
"Exactly. Veering from the trails would not be wise on their part since this stupid forest, as you mentioned, can be difficult to navigate, especially in the dark." Minato gives his legs one final stretch before turning his back to me and kneeling down, readying his back and arms for me to get on.
I...I hadn't even thought of that. Though, it's not surprising that he did...
Minato was the first genin from our graduating class to successfully pass the chūnin exam and receive the rank of chūnin. Most of our generation, including myself, hadn't even been recommended to participate, requiring us to wait until the following year to partake. He took the exam just over a year ago at the age of twelve, even setting a top score record on the written exam. The higher ranking chūnin, jōnin, and even Lord Third himself, couldn't stop talking about his finals match, praising him as a once-in-a-generation prodigy.
It was rumoured that Minato was prophesied to be the one to shape the way for future generations of shinobi with his already impressive skills and intellect.
And yet...even with his talent and reputation, and the hoards of thirsty fangirls clinging to him every chance they get, Minato hasn't changed a bit.
He doesn't brag or boast about his well-known successes or skills. He doesn't use his reputation to flirt or rile up the village girls, never openly relishing in their attention. He doesn't criticize or put himself above others, even his subordinates.
Instead...
He does acknowledge his own strengths while being mindful that there's room for growth, accepting constructive feedback to improve his skills and combat ethic. He does show respect to everyone in the village and turns down any undesired advances with maturity and mutual dignity. He does inspire hard work and devotion from others by being a leader that acknowledges the importance of team work from a strengths-based approach.
In short...Namikaze Minato has to be 'the most' annoyingly perfect person I'd ever met.
And the complete opposite of me.
I step towards Minato's hunched figure, straighten my skirt, and swallow my pride before leaning down to get in position. I settle my hands on his shoulders and lean against his back, letting him grasp both of my legs to support the rest of my weight. He stands back up straight and rocks on his heels for a moment, scanning the area quick eye, before stepping off the branch and breaking out into a steady run through the forest.
But even I have to admit that he's not quite the simple-minded flake I thought he was back when we first met at the academy...he's grown, and I don't just mean in height. Sure, his morals remain the same, but it's his confidence that has changed.
Minato actually developed a backbone...not that I'd ever say that to his face though.
"Thanks for the lecture, blondie. Didn't realize you had some brains hidden under all this hair, ya know", I sneer while playfully ruffling his yellow mop of hair. Minato lets out a sputtering laugh and jostles me around on his back in response, nearly bucking me off at one point.
"As for how I know where we're going, perhaps I'll share that with you after we've safely returned to Konoha. Deal?" Minato looks over his shoulder at me with a toothy grin and, embarrassingly enough, his undeniably charming features almost causes me to forget to respond.
"Seriously!? Why chintz out on me like that, ya know? Not fair!" I hear Minato laugh lightly at my pouty response and I puff my cheeks in mock-disappointment while giving his hair a playful tug.
Is this what it's like to be friends with someone like Minato?
Upon graduating from the academy, Minato and I were assigned to our respective genin teams, Minato on Team 7, and myself on Team 4. With the urgency for missions and training, mostly due to the nation-wide war currently waging, we rarely crossed paths. Sure, we will exchange brief pleasantries if we happen to see each other in passing around the village, but our conversations are typically few and far between and almost always work-related.
"Now, Kushina, patience is a virtue..." Minato takes a particularly long leap across a wide gully without the slightest bit of uncertainty or hesitation, clearing a good 20 meters before landing soundlessly on the grassy terrain, "...also, try not to overexert yourself; perhaps, you should try getting some rest."
I stare incredulously at the back of Minato's head as if he had just sprouted another one. "You want me to take a nap when the enemy could attack us at any moment?"
And how about a dip in the hot springs? Or stop in at some tourist landmarks for a bit of sightseeing?
"Hey, have a little faith in me...", I hear him pout quietly before giving me a side glance, "besides, it's important that you take this opportunity to recuperate. In the event that we are indeed being pursed and we find ourselves needing to fight, even a minute of rest could mean the difference between life and death."
...
...
"You can be really morbid sometimes, ya know..."
"O-oh. Sorry..."
But as much as I hate to admit it, Minato's right. I'm completely exhausted. Still, it's really not fair to have him carry me like this while running...but I honestly don't know how much longer I'll be able to force myself to stay awake.
"Fine. I don't need to sleep, but I will close my eyes for a bit; your stupid hair keeps getting in my eyes and mouth." I reach forward to tuck a few of the loose longer strands of Minato's hair into the folds of his headband, trying to keep them from getting blown into my face.
But it's not really all that stupid, is it?
I gently brush the tips of my fingers against his now-visible cheek, sliding along the bone as I move the final thread of yellow hair into place. I use my thumb to slowly trace along the bone and down his jawline, surprised to see that he has lost much of the child-like roundness that I remembered. I never really took the time to stare so intently at his face before and, even with only getting a look at his side-profile, I come to the conclusion that many Konoha woman of all ages have as well.
Minato is attractive.
O-objectively attractive, of course.
But attractive, nonetheless.
"Right, okay?" Minato tilts his head to look back at me from over his shoulder, pausing to raise a brow at my hand which was still cupping his face. "Also, I'd like to avoid any unnecessary stops, but still, let me know if you need-"
"Hush, stupid!" I quickly remove my hand and bury my face down into his white jacket, settling between his shoulder blades and muttering my response into his back. "I-I'm trying to sleep here, ya know!"
Smooth. That'll salvage what little dignity I have left.
I feel Minato's back muscles shift beneath me as he turns his attention back to his running, thankfully choosing not to comment on having his face groped. After a few moments of allowing myself some deep breaths to cool myself down, I feel myself begin to doze off to the steady beating of his heart and the rocking with each leap he takes. My hands slide just below his shoulders to rest flat against his upper back, not concerned in the slightest about falling off.
Not that I'd ever have to worry about that with him.
With my eyes now closed and my consciousness slipping away, I hear the soft whisper of his voice carry through the wind, "sweet dreams, Kushina", and I can't help but smile.
Good night, Minato.
What's this feeling?...
...
It's like I'm...flying...
...
"Kushina...?"
...
"Hmmm?..." I instinctively nuzzle my face against something soft and warm, but quickly become alert as the soft and warm shifts beneath me and then starts to speak.
"Good morning, Kushina." I tilt my head up to see Minato's clear-blue eyes glancing back at me, wearing a tired smile on his lips as he greets me between his soft panting, "...I hope you rested well."
"Morning?" More of a question than a greeting. I tilt my chin up to see the sky, still overcast in darkness, and speckled with stars, has a faded-warm orange hue beginning to rise with the sun.
Dawn? Already?
I peer over Minato's shoulder to see warm light breaking through the forest canopy, increasing the visibility enough for me to see that we are approaching a clearing. With one final leap, we are propelled out of the shadows, reaching what I quickly recognize to be the familiar training grounds located just on the outskirts of the village. I am relieved at the sight, the landmark being a welcomed reassurance that we were about a thirty-minute run from Konoha's front gates.
But with Minato's speed, I suspect we'll get there much quicker.
When mapping out mission travel-routes, it is estimated to take approximately four hours to run from the Konoha gates to the outposts at the Land of Fire Boarder. This estimation does not factor in time allotted for breaks either so, for most squads, it usually takes about four hours one-way.
Minato is about to do it in under three hours...and I can only imagine how much faster he'd be without my dead-weight on his back.
After landing gracefully in the open field, Minato pauses for a moment, rolling his shoulders and shifting my weight around in his hands for a quick stretch. With my palms placed flat against his back, I can feel his quickened heartbeat and laboured breaths pressing against my hand. Despite this exhaustion, he continues to remain meticulously alert, keeping a watchful view of our surroundings while giving his neck a final crack to complete his stretch.
"Are you doing alright back there?" Minato tilts his head to look back at me, brows knitted with concern as his blue eyes search my expression. "Any pain from your injuries?"
I respond with a reassuring smile and, "I'll be alright; still feeling pretty tired and sore but I'll manage till we get back to the village." Minato nods in return, seeming satisfied with my answer, and hopefully without the suspicion that those words were untrue.
Due to my accelerated physical healing and chakra replenishing, the throbbing pain is now reduced to a mild discomfort and soreness that is bearable and would likely be completely gone within the hour. These healing abilities are a combination of the blessing from my Uzumaki bloodline, known for longevity and enhanced stamina, and a curse from the chakra of the Nine Tails.
Not that I could let Minato know that though...I have to lie; I always do. A speedy recovery would raise too much suspicion and, with that big brain of his, it wouldn't take him long to guess why.
And I just can't take that chance.
"I'm glad to hear that." Minato reciprocates my smile with his own, and it is now that really notice the darkness sagging under his eyes, the sweat glistening on his skin, and his flushed cheeks.
Geez, he looks terrible...and it's all my fault.
"What about you? No offence, but you look like hell." I watch as Minato eyes widen at my words and his cheeks flush even darker.
"O-oh...", he looks down at his feet as he shuffles them uncomfortably, "I didn't realize...I'm sorry I don't look more presentable, but under the circumstances I-"
"I didn't mean it like that." I roll my eyes at his schoolboy simpleminded cluelessness that contradicted many of my earlier complements, "I just meant that you look tired, and you could probably use a break or at the very least put me down and I can run back on my own now; besides, we're not that far from the front gates..." I release my hold on Minato's shoulders, ready to slide off his back, but his hands grip my thighs tighter to prevent me from getting down.
"I appreciate your concern but there's no need to worry; I'll rest once I know that you're safe. That's my priority right now." Minato flashes me a tired smile before bending at the knees and carrying us back up into the trees.
I notice right away that his movements have slowed to what I would consider a normal running pace, no longer having an intense urgent behind each step. The change in pace becomes oddly comforting as I assume it is due to us being just outside the village and the threat-level drastically decreasing the closer we get. However, I cannot hide behind this comfort when I know I need to address his words from a moment ago, which will be anything but.
"Don't...don't say stupid things like that..." I mumble quietly into the back of his jacket, cutting my words short before I say anything I might regret.
Nobody's cared about me like this, genuinely cared...not since Granny Mito. She looked past my tragic fate as a jinchūriki and protected me...loved me when no one else had but she was taken from me; she disappeared from my life when I needed her most. And now, with Minato...I can't have him getting sucked into my screwed-up life, not if I can help it.
He doesn't deserve that. No one does. If I let him get too close, I'll only end up hurting him...or worse-
"I'm sorry...but I just can't help myself." Minato looks back at me again, wearing a soft expression similar to the one he sported when he had first saved me.
"And why's that?" I regret those words as soon as they slip though my lips.
Shit. Why'd I have to go and ask that?
"It's because I-", Minato's voice suddenly cuts off and, without any prior warning, he turns his attention forward and picks up his leisure running into a full-on sprint.
I hastily grasp his shoulders tightly and squeeze my thighs against his hips, latching onto Minato's back for dear life as he carries us through the trees at what I can imagine must be close to his top speed. With how fast he's moving, I can barely make out the finer details of our surroundings, but I am certain we were still en route to the village as the top of the Hokage Monument comes into view. I would like to write-off the sudden urgency in Minato's run as his impatience and eagerness to return home.
And normally, I'm all for a man-of-action...
But without any notice or context from Minato on the current situation, I can only assume that he sensed something worth drawing his concern. His earlier soft-spoken and comforting demeanour is quickly replaced with a hardened alertness that, even though I'm pressed against his back, makes me feel like he's far out of my reach. Unlike before, his running and maneuvering are more calculated and sharper, yet unpredictable, leading me to believe that we are being pursued.
And judging by how fast he's running, I'd say they're not too far behind us. Though, that doesn't make any sense...at the speed we've been travelling, there's no way that they could've caught up to us this quickly.
"Minato? Talk to me. What's going on?" The thoughts themselves are certainly enough to turn my stomach once again, and I expect to hear his calming words to reassure me, but instead, he's left me in the stunned silence while he continues on running.
We travel like this for a few minutes before coming to a standstill atop of a high branch, giving us a view that overlooks a small clearing surrounded by trees and shadows. I expect Minato to pause for a brief break; instead, he lowers my legs and slouches his back, carefully setting me back on my feet. I release his shoulders and wait for his to get up, but I find myself watching curiosity as he remains in his crouched position, staring off into the trees ahead.
"Minato?" After not getting a response or any indication that he's listening, I walk over to his side and crouch down to his level. "Don't ignore me, ya know."
If he has time to stare off into the distance all dramatic-like, he has time to let me know what the hell is going on.
He sighs lightly, snapping out of his concentrated daze, before turning his head so our eyes can meet; mine are fired up with confusion and frustration, and his are swimming in stress and solemnity. "We're surrounded."
Good to know.
And just how the heck does Minato know that? Since he took off at breakneck speeds like a lunatic a few minutes ago, I've kept my senses sharp and alert, but I haven't heard or witnessed anything to even suggest that we were being followed.
"How many do you think there are?" I watch quietly as he tilts his head down and closes his eyes, the nerves quickly settling in as does the frown on his lips.
"I sense six approaching us; two from there...", he raises a hand from the tree trunk to point towards the trees across from us, "and the others will be on either side of us. They'll be here any second now."
Ah. Shit. For now, I'll put a raincheck in the many questions I have about how he could possibly know all this, and focus on the task at hand...like how we're going to make it out of this alive.
Minato gently takes a hold of my forearm and supports me in standing up beside him, his grip, despite his hardened expression or his callused hands, is gentle. He leads me along the thick branch towards the tree trunk while using his free hand to reach into the weapons pouch behind his back. With his hand coming back into view, I notice that he's pulled out three kunai, all of which are a three-pronged blade; it's an uncommon choice of weapon, but I'm glad that at least Minato came prepared.
Unlike me, apparently.
"I won't be able to get us past them, not without risks. It will be too difficult to engage with the enemy while you're on my back...so, I'll need to confront them directly." With two kunai in one hand, he flips the third expertly with the other, catching it on the middle blade and handing me the bare hilt.
"You think we can take them?" I question him while reaching a hand up to take the outstretched kunai, eager to finally be in possession of a weapon again.
"We? No." Minato shakes his head and fingers the two kunai in his possession, familiarizing himself with the blades before settling with one in each hand. "You're still recovering and in no condition to fight, so you won't be involved in this."
Like hell I won't be!
"I'm the one they're after! I'd say makes me very much involved." My grey eyes narrow into slits as I stare Minato's blue eyes down, daring him to disagree.
"That's not what I'm saying." He sighs heavily and closes his eyes, choosing to take a moment to choose his words carefully before responding. "What I meant, was that I'm not going to put your life in jeopardy by letting you run in head-first into a fight, not when you're injured and especially when we have the odds stacked against us."
That's life. Nothing about life is fair, especially in war.
I should know.
"So, what then? You seriously believe that I'll just sit back and watch you risk your life when-"
"Stay behind me and keep your guard up." Minato turns his back to me and lowers himself into a defensive stance, keeping deadly-armed hands close to his center as he eyes the trees around uswith caution, "they're here."
After a few short moments, I watch his shoulders tense as he focuses on the shadows a few metres ahead, the early morning light still having yet to break through the thick foliage. Feeling the tension in the air has blood and adrenaline pumping through my veins, and I raise the kunai up and shift anxiously on the balls of my feet, waiting for someone to make the first move.
I'm ready.