Hi Guys!

I have revised the whole thing, which means I have added a few chapters. For those of you who follow me on Ao3- the chapters are up to date, but I know not everyone can get on Ao3 right now! I hope you guys enjoy the new updates and the filled plot holes!

-Raiiju Tsuiga

"Naruto?" a calm voice called.

"Yes, father?" a small voice replied.

A five-year-old Naruto sat cross-legged on a brown couch with his back towards the kitchen. To the boy's right was a small dining room with a square table and four green chairs. Behind him was a small standard kitchen. Across was another couch and a bookshelf behind that. Naruto had an unrolled scroll in his lap. Minato appeared from the kitchen wearing a pink apron over his standard shinobi uniform, holding a plate he was drying with a small dishrag. The elder blonde cocked his head at the scroll his son was reading and walked over after setting down the plate and rag on the counter. He stood over his son.

"What have I told you about going into my library?" Minato asked.

"No to, father. I didn't go to your library. I found the scroll in my room," Naruto explained without looking up.

"In your room?" Minato sat beside his son. He picked up the end of the scroll and started reading.

"It's from mom," Naruto whispered.

In his mind, Minato agreed that the scroll was Kushina's handwriting. He momentarily wondered when Kushina had written it.

"May I?" Minato asked, and when Naruto nodded, he pulled the scroll into his lap to continue reading it.

'My dearest Naruto,

If you are reading this, something has happened to me and your father. There are several things I want you to know; the first is that we love you very much. The second is to never give up on your dreams. Your father's dream of becoming Hokage came true; yours can too.

When you are older, ask the current Hokage for information on your parents, especially me. I don't know how old you will be when you read this, but I assume you are too young to know many things about me. If your father is still alive, he will explain why I have moved on to the next world. I do hope that your father is still alive. A young boy needs his father.

There are several scrolls I have written for you about my past and your father's, in case anything ever happens to me. They are stored in a small scroll in your father's library. Your father or the current Hokage can retrieve them for you.

Naruto, I love you very much.

Your loving mother,

Kushina'

Minato blinked at the scroll. He read it repeatedly, and after a few minutes, he looked at his son. Naruto gave him a worried look, which he returned with a smile.

"Naruto, how much do you know about your mother," Minato asked, handing back the scroll.

"Not very much, father," Naruto shook his head as he pulled the scroll into his lap, "just what you have told me."

"I see," Minato pulled his son into his lap so the little blonde sat across his knees. Naruto looked up at his father.

He looks so much like Kushina but acts too much like me.

"Your mother was the most beautiful woman in the village. She was a little rowdy at times but very loving. She loved you so much," Minato smiled at his son.

"What happened to mother?" Naruto asked.

Minato sighed. He knew Naruto was too young to understand what happened that night. He was also too young to know about the Kyuubi. He would explain everything to Naruto one day but now was not the time.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Minato shook his head, "You're a little young to understand. I promise that when you are older, I will explain everything."

For Naruto's age, he was surprisingly quiet and mature. He understood that his father thought he was too young, so he didn't protest. Naruto just nodded in agreement, surprising Minato. Still sitting on his father's lap, he pulled the scroll over and rerolled it. They sat there for a long time until Naruto finally hopped down.

"What's for dinner?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Your favorite," Minato replied, standing up. The older blonde grabbed Naruto's hand and walked him into the kitchen.

"Ramen?" Naruto's eyes brightened as he walked into the kitchen and smelled the ramen cooking. Although Naruto was mature for his age, he was still quite simple-minded sometimes.

"Yes, your mom's famous recipe," Minato smiled at his son.

The following day, Naruto sat cross-legged with another scroll in his lap in his father's office. He was reading something about chakra nature. He was usually so quiet that most didn't even notice him or chose to ignore him. Minato sat at his desk, doing the typical paperwork quietly. After a while, Minato looked up at his son and frowned. A young boy his age shouldn't want to sit and read constantly. Minato shook his head; even when he was young, he still wanted to go and play with the others his age.

"Naruto? Why don't you go outside and play with your friends?" Minato asked.

Naruto looked up from the scroll and said, "I don't have any friends."

"What about Kiba? Shikamaru? Choji? Sasuke?" Minato questioned.

"I don't know. They used to play with me, and now they don't," Naruto shrugged.

"Did something happen?" Minato cocked his head.

"I don't think so," Naruto replied.

"Maybe I'll ask Shikaku or Tsume what's going on," Minato told himself.

"Please don't, father," Naruto said.

"Hmm? Why?" Minato asked.

"I can make new friends, Father," Naruto lied.

"Alright, then," Minato nodded and returned to his paperwork. Naruto went back to reading the scroll.

Occasionally, Minato would glance up at his son, still worried about the young boy.

Several hours passed, and Naruto would exchange the scroll for a new one now and then, checking first with his father to ensure he could read those scrolls. The young boy still sat in the same position.

"Father?" Naruto asked.

Minato looked up at his son, "Yes?"

"Why am I named Uzumaki and you Namikaze?" Naruto asked.

Minato blinked at his son; he didn't think Naruto would notice yet. Minato smiled and motioned for his son to come over. The little one did as he was told and trotted to his father. Minato helped his son onto his lap.

"I didn't think you would notice just yet," Minato admitted, "But your mother thought it was a good idea for you to be named after her and not me."

"Why?" Naruto blinked, confused.

"Because many people and shinobi are out there who don't like me and would want to hurt me. There aren't a lot of Namikazes in the world. If you were a Namikaze, many of my enemies would come after you to get to me," Minato explained.

Naruto nodded, "Oh."

"But when you are older and able to defend yourself properly, you can change your name to Namikaze if you would like," Minato smiled and brushed a few stands of hair out of Naruto's face.

Naruto smiled and nodded again.

Minato brushed a few more stands of hair from Naruto's face and laughed, "You did get my unmanageable hair… you need a haircut."

Naruto's eyes widened, and both hands flew up to his hair, making Minato laugh even more. Naruto jumped down from his father's lap and ran to the door. However, he wasn't very fast. Minato came up behind the little blonde and scooped him up in his arms, both still laughing.

Minato had stopped laughing before his son. It was a joy to Minto to watch his son laugh so carefree. He noticed that Naruto laughed just like Kushina.

"Naruto?" Minato asked, pulling Naruto out of his laughing fit.

"Yes?" Naruto replied.

"Would you like me to enroll you in the academy?" Minato asked, "You are the right age."

Naruto's eyes widened, and a large grin spread across his face, "Yes!"

Minato chuckled at Naruto's enthusiasm, "Alright then! You can start this upcoming year."

Naruto's grin grew, and he threw his hands around his father's neck, "Thank you, tou-san!"

"Tou-san? I didn't get your call tou-san. Usually, it's 'father' or 'Otousan.' Why the sudden change?" Minato laughed.

Naruto pulled back and looked at his father with his arms still around his neck. He honestly couldn't think of why, so he just shrugged.

Minato smiled gently at the boy, "You don't have to be so formal with me, ya know?"

Naruto only smiled in response.