Disclaimer: No ownership here.

Warnings: O/A/B dynamic's, slight sexism (in a way) but it is period typical. Angst, and I think that's about it.

A Precious Father

一個珍貴的父親

His father was there ahead of him as he entered his family's grounds, a kind simple smile on his face, blue eyes bright with a gleam of hope, his one leg uncoordinated from the rest of his body, a wartime injury not easily forgotten. By family nor, Minato himself. He was lucky to have survived the war.

"N-" His father's kind voice was interrupted by an unwelcome bang of the door. His mother's bright flowing red hair the first thing he saw, and apprehension was quick to follow. Expression eager, his mother was an intimidating force, even next to a legendary war veteran. Her eyes spoke of damnation, and promise of future anger. Naruto felt his entire inner being, shake, but he held his body firm against the thought of her future anger.

"So, who is it then!?" Voice quick and sharp, his mother's posture became stiff and rigid, eager and waiting for a response. He hastened to reply, not wanting to drag out this battle of wits it would soon become.

"I was deemed unfit." The glaze over her eyes said everything he needed to know. His Father's expression was cooled, showing off what in his heart he felt. His Mother's gaze chilled him.

"Get out of my sight." She spoke with a voice of disappointment, and something else, something Naruto didn't want to acknowledge. He didn't want to, but his mother scared him at that moment, she was almost unfamiliar to him, and his father, his father scared him the most, it was terrifying to see a man he so respected, so loved, cherished, unmovable as the great wall itself, Naruto was staring at two strangers.

He moved quickly away to the garden, a safe place. His mother's eyes bore upon him unwelcoming and cold, he couldn't feel, and daren't look at his father. The shame sagged his posture, even as he tried desperately to hold himself high, at least some shard of himself, but his spirit was no longer there to do so.

He had thought his father wouldn't mind his… dishonor if he had his own happiness. Was he wrong? Did his father truly wish for him to change himself, sacrifice the man he was for another? His own method of thought brought foreboding inquiry of himself. A sensation of deep sadness filling his spirit with something he was unfamiliar with.

He sat on the ground, letting the cherry blossoms fall upon his head and expensive Hanfu, he leaned down on the tree trunk, his hair uncomfortable as he did so. The beaded hair tie was not taken out kindly, golden strands pulling out with it. Strangely it didn't even sting, he'd hardly felt anything.

"Beautiful blossoms this year aren't they?" The soft reverent voice of his father brought his emotions to a strange sort of impasse, unsure of what to feel. Glancing at his father's towering visage, he saw there the same man he always had. A man of great power and pride, a man to respect. Yet even as he was unsure of his own path, and his father at this point, he saw something other people didn't so much as glance upon. Kindness in his Father's smile, and the understanding tilt of his eyes.

"Dad…" He smiled, he'd always been told he had his mother's smile, by his parents and passersby alike. This was untrue, his mother's smile was stunning to be sure, yet it had grown strained with stress and frosted with years of trying to be the perfect wife as she could be in order to please the other's of the village. No Naruto knew he had his Father's unstrained, kind smile that no one dared to look at, for a respected warrior could not have such a grin.

His Dad sat next to him, the smile stretching to his eyes for mere moments before the smile turned smaller, yet to Naruto this was the man he knew, and everything soared in his body, elevated by the fact that his Father was now not cold to him.

"Naruto, call it the views of an old man lost from war if you wish; but no matter who you are, you will forever be my child. Kushina has lost much of herself as years wore upon us. I wish you could have known the woman she was when we were spry and young, you're very much like how she used to be." There was no mistaking the reverent tone in his Father's voice, and for mere moments he wished that too.

Somewhere above them a gong rang out. Everything shifted then, even the wind changed direction. Instantly his father's eyes sharpened to what looked to be a point. They stared above almost unseeing, but there was a clouded shroud surrounding them showing that knowledge of what exactly had occurred. Naruto didn't want to examine too closely what that expression meant, but he knew he would have to. His father looked… Frightened, a disconcerting expression for a man so powerful. If not frightened, it was resigned, as if a great and sudden weight had settled on his shoulders that he had carried before.

His father moved quickly to the entrance to the garden, his lame leg dragging on the ground behind him alarmingly, Naruto felt the urge to tell him to stop before he hurt himself further, but his Dad's cool gaze stopped him, once they got to the entrance he knew the reason.

People gathered around in curiosity around a dispatch of Chinese soldiers ripe from war guarding someone in a heavy fur coat, his face not visible to anyone. Although it seemed his father knew this man, and his reason for him being here. Looking around briefly he saw many men of his father's generation staring almost grievously at the man in the fur coat, their spouses behind them looking just as grim. Naruto couldn't help but ponder what bad luck this man brought with him to their small town. War no doubt, perhaps a warning, or an evacuation? Whatever the reasoning it held a heavy aura of consternation.

There was a satchel on his horse's back, there lay several scrolls, all strewn with clan names from people in their village.

"It has been decided that one eligible Alpha, female or male alike from each family are to fight in the upcoming war against the Han invaders. Dismissal is not an option. Whence I call your name you will come to me to collect your assignment which will state your training post and instructor." Naruto drew himself straight at that, his father was the only Alpha currently standing in their family, and surely they wouldn't make a crippled man fight! No, that would be a death sentence!

He saw several men and the occasional woman from his village step up and collect their scroll. Most from his age group, although some he recognized as close friends to his mother and father, it made his heart beat in his chest ever faster.

"Namikaze!" Abruptly his heart stopped in his chest, the nervous beats for people he knew no longer there, only the frozen understanding that yes, they would make his father fight, and he most certainly would die. He would not have it! Not thinking he rushed forward, his limbs had gone numb from fear, and he knew that perhaps his head was not on straight, still he shouted louder then considered polite, and pointed an accusatory sentence at the man who was sending his father to his death, his father!

"You can't do this! My father is already crippled from the last war! You would be sending him to his death!" A female soldier reared back at his words, and her fist hit him square in the jaw, he collapsed, having not expected the impact, she didn't even spare him a second glance as she returned back to her posting as a guard. The man on horseback turned to his father, and Naruto saw as he looked up the fire burning in his father's eyes. Yet he knew not who it was for.

"Namikaze! Keep your son in line or it will be handled far less benevolently." Naruto struggled to his feat, his veins pumped with the adrenaline he usually gathered from climbing up a tree, or attempting to stand on his horse as he rode. This, however brought a scowl to his face in anger, what an unjust thing to do!

"I understand adviser, my apologies for my son's disrespect. The so called 'adviser' gave him nothing more then a snort and then handed the taller blond the scroll which held his assignment. Naruto stared at the offending parchment with great disquiet.

"Be there in two day's time, by sundown, do not be late." With those punctuated words, the man left his guards in tow. Naruto looked at his father, knowing his fear shone through vividly.

"Father please!-" Minato held up his hand to stop the beg, and apology from escaping, Naruto clamped his mouth shut against his better judgment.

"Quiet my son, I know you are uneasy, but please relax yourself for me, I knew this day was coming and I have prepared for it, I had originally hoped to see you married before such a time, but that is nothing of importance. You are a free spirit my son, and I cannot for the life of me forsake you for that. I cannot promise much for what awaits you in your future, but I can guarantee one thing, just as you will promise me one thing." His father smiled small and delicate, placating him, and soothing his worry's, he felt the sting in his eyes. "I can promise you, that I will have died a happy man knowing that my brave son stood against the odds and let himself shine in the face of something so maddening.-" he paused for breath.

"Naruto, promise me just one thing-" Said blond sputtered and grasped onto his father's robe, uncaring that they were in the public's eye as he sobbed into the fabric. "Promise me, you will never let anyone change that." He nodded with the tears burning his cheeks, he felt his father's gentle touch in his hair, petting it down uselessly.

This comfort, the kind touch of his father, and the warm eyes that never glazed with contempt, how could he live without that, knowing and understanding his father was marching into his death with a smile on his face? He couldn't bare to think it.