Teleporting in front of the Hokage tower. Minato went into the building and told the secretary he needed to see the Hokage immediately. Getting the ok Minato walked up to the Hokage's office with the baby now beginning to whine as she wasn't familiar with anything around her and that scared her. Minato held her close and rubbed circles in her back which after a while seemed to calm her down. Reaching the doors he knocked and waited for the go ahead to enter. Once he got it he entered the office as he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi doing paperwork as usual.
"Ah Minato, it's good to see you. What seems to be the…why do you have that girl with you?" He asked as he now noticed the baby in Minato's arms. She looked at the person speaking and when she noticed Hiruzen she began to shake. Minato noticed this as he rubbed her back and after a few seconds she calmed down. Looking at his leader he told him about what had happened and about the man who had disappeared along with how he attacked the girl. Hiruzen listened to this and thought of how troubling this all was.
"I see. Hmm, to my knowledge there aren't any missing children with her description. Honestly at first I thought she was related to you somehow." Minato looked down at the girl who looked up at him and for a moment he thought the same thing. "Now that you say it sir she does but that wouldn't make any sense. I'm an orphan after all."
Hiruzen thought for a moment, he thought this was all strange but at this moment he knew something else was far more important than this girl's identity. "I'll send out a team to look for this man. He's injured and that means he's going to be very dangerous. For now I want you to watch this girl until we can find out who she belongs to." Minato nodded as he left the office.
As he walked through the Hokage tower Minato looked at the baby and saw she looked very tired. This made sense as she must have been through alot today. That's when he noticed something around her neck. A small necklace with a pendant that seemed to have some sort of engraving on it. Reaching to grab it the baby watched him with curiosity. Unhooking the necklace from around her neck Minato took a close look at the pendant and noticed the engraving was actually a name.
"Naruko. Is that your name sweetie?" The baby didn't say anything as she seemed far too tired. Laying her head on his shoulder Naruko closed her eyes as Minato heard her lightly snore. Smiling Minato walked out of the tower and teleported home.
XXX
As he teleports to his apartment Minato notices that the lights are on. Remembering that he had turned them off before he left he expected that Kushina had gotten home early seeing as it was still the afternoon. He unlocked the door and went to open it before he realized something. Looking down to Naruko he knew he'd have to explain why he had her. 'Kushina will be fine. She won't take it the wrong way, right?' Suddenly the thought of his angry girlfriend killing him
for thinking he cheated on her came to mind and it terrified him. 'No! She wouldn't act that way. She'll understand me, I just have to explain and she'll understand completely.' His mind made up, he opened the door and entered the apartment.
"I'm home." At the sound of his voice Kushina popped her head out of the kitchen with a large smile on her face. "Welcome home. How was it? Were they good or were they all brats? Anything interesting happen…" as she left the kitchen it was only then she noticed the baby in Minato's arms. For a moment it was quiet as Minato waited for her reaction. Soon her face started to contort into that of a frown as she looked at him.
"Wait before you say anything I can explain." Kushina gave him a look that said to continue, it seems he had a chance. So he told her of the day's events. Her features softened as she looked at the baby and now felt so sorry for her.
"That's horrible, how could anyone do something like that to her. You said they're looking for him?" Kushina asked as Minato nodded, having put Naruko on the couch so she could sleep while the adults talked. "Yeah. I still don't know how he escaped. If he was anyone else he'd have been dead but somehow he had some energy left."
Kushina frowned as she looked at the sleeping Naruko. "He better not go after her again. I'll make sure he doesn't get up if he tries anything." Minato smiled as he saw the fire in her eyes, the kind that burned anyone who got in her way. "Well hopefully they'll find him before he can try anything." Suddenly they both heard Naruko begin to cry. Minato came to the couch and crouched down to be at her level. "Hey it's ok. What's wrong?" Naruko looked at him before making grabbing motions to him. Minato knew what she wanted as he picked her up, rubbing her back which calmed her down almost immediately. Kushina watched this and cood at how cute it was. "Oh she's so cute."
Minato only smiled at his girlfriend's antics until he smelled something that reeked. Looking down at the baby he realized what smelled as he was now regretting picking her up. "You didn't." He said as Naruko only giggled. Kushina was confused at first until she smelled what happened and started to laugh uncontrollably.
"Oh this isn't funny." Minato said as he looked at Kushina. Naruko looked at her acting like an idiot and began to laugh even harder. "I think she begs to differ." Kushina said as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Welp looks like you get to clean it."
"Wait, why me?" He asked, very confused.
"Whoever smelt it deals with it." Kushina said as a devilish smile came across her face.
"Wha, that isn't fair!" Minato said a little mad he had to deal with the messy diaper.
Kushina only shrugged as she patted him on the back. "Life ain't fair I'm afraid."
Minato then realized something as he called to the now leaving Kushina. "Then it looks like you'll have to get diapers." Kushina stopped and turned to him. "Why me?"
"We don't have any. So it looks like you'll have to get them while I deal with this one." Minato said as he pointed to Naruko. Kushina slumped and pouted at having to leave when she just got back home. "This sucks."
Minato patted her back as he was now the one smiling. "Life ain't fair I'm afraid." Happy that he got his revenge Minato walked to the bathroom so he could get Naruko changed and give her a bath. Kushina walked to the door with her wallet as she left the apartment.
XXX
Kushina looked through the store to try and find diapers. Luckily it was quite easy as she found a medium pack of them along with some baby wipes to help with future clean ups. Unfortunately for her that was when she heard the voice of one of her closest friends.
"Kushina, what are you doing?" Turning Kushina laid eyes on her best friend Mikoto Uchiha who had her two year old son with her.
"Oh um hey Mikoto, been a while." Kushina said, startled to see her here.
"I'd say, but as I said, what are you doing with those…ARE YOU!"
"NO, NO IT'S NOT THAT! Um it's just, oh God, well. You see, Minato brought home this baby and no, we aren't keeping her, he was told to watch her cause she got lost and we're trying to find her family but until then we need to watch her so I came to get her diapers. Look, it's complicated right now so please don't tell anyone cause we don't need it to be a whole thing." Mikoto looked at her with a judging look after hearing that.
"Mhm, well even so you better let me see her." Kushina looked at her friend very confused. "Why?"
"Cause I want to see how you can handle a kid." Kushina pouted as she hit her friend in the arm. "Oh shut up. You know you suck sometimes."
"Yep." Kushina rolled her eyes as she and Mikoto continued to talk as Kushina helped Mikoto with carrying some of her groceries.
"So how old is she?" Mikoto asked as the three walked out of the store their items paid for.
"Um, I think just over a year. Minato thinks she's maybe a year and a half but she's way too small in my opinion." Mikoto nodded as she looked down to her son Itachi who was walking with the two older women not seeming to even be paying attention to their conversation.
"Isn't Itachi two now?" Kushina asked as the three rounded a corner.
"Yep. Speaking of which, you two are still coming Saturday right?" Mikoto asked.
"Yep we still should be able to. Hopefully by then Naru will have gotten back to her parents."
"Maybe I can help with that." Mikoto offered.
"Aren't you coming to see her regardless?"
"Yes but if I can help then I will. You know I'm good at multitasking."
"True."
Making it to the door to the apartment the two women heard crying inside as they looked at one another confused. "What has he done this time?" Mikoto asked as Kushina opened the door
"Nothing stupid I hope. Hey, I'm back! Also Mikoto and Itachi tagged along!" Kushina called into the house as she heard Minato answer back.
"Oh thank God your back! I need help!"
Kushina set down her groceries as she walked to the bathroom only to see a soaking wet Minato holding a squirming and crying Naruko who seemed to be hating the bath she was in. "What happened?" She asked.
"Well I took off the diaper, and let me tell you I don't know what she had but it's toxic, and then I cleaned her up before I started to try to give her a bath. Unfortunately she didn't like that all that much so for the last fifteen minutes I've been trying my best with her. Not working out so well." Kushina rolled her eyes as she came up next to him and leaned down to help.
"Here let me help." The two would then begin to struggle as Naruko made it almost impossible to clean her off.
"Hold her!"
"I am, you need to wash her…no wait Kushina what are you doing?"
"Move your doing it wrong!"
"No I'm not I'm, HEY no pushing!"
"Don't you tell me what to, OUCH your pinching me"
"Sorry I'm just trying, hey Naru no scratching!"
"Alright you two let me!" Mikoto finally got tired of hearing these two bicker as she scooped up Naruko and shooed the others out as she got to work. After five minutes she had finished cleaning the baby and had her in a towel drying her off with almost no difficulty. Looking at the other two she gave Naruko to Kushina before looking at Minato.
"You take a shower. You dry her off and when he's done then you can take a shower. Both of you look terrible and that was only after three minutes. Honestly if I didn't come you both would have still been in there."
"Yes ma'am." They both said together as Minato went to the bathroom while Kushina followed Mikoto to the living room. Kushina dried off the baby while Mikoto watched, giving her pointers so her friend wouldn't fail like this again.
"You two sucked, I hope you know." Kushina nodded as she put a new diaper on Naru, thankfully with Mikoto there to help.
"Thanks for reminding me. How did you do that so well?"
"I've had much more time to do this than you two have. Don't worry I sucked my first couple times with this one." Mikoto patted Itachi's head as he laid down on her lap, clearly tired.
Naruko looked at the two women talking and she then noticed something that interested her greatly. Reaching up, Naruko grabbed some of Kushina's long crimson hair as she began to pull. "OW, ow ow ow ow! Hey don't do that!" Kushina pulled Naruko off her as she saw the baby with a tiny handful of her hair.
"She pulled your hair too?" Minato asked as he entered the room with some new clothes on and a towel around his shoulders.
"Yep. Dang that hurt. Why'd you do that?" Kushina asked the baby as she brought Naruko up to be eye level with her. Naru only laughed as she waved some of the hair in her hand, happy to have such a prize. Kushina sighed as she handed Naru to Minato and went to take a shower. Mikoto chuckled as she picked up a now sleeping Itachi and walked to the door. "Welp, I hope you two can handle everything from here. See you guys Saturday."
"See yah later." Minato called back as Mikoto closed the door behind her. Slumping down on the couch he stared at Naruko who seemed content with playing with the hair she acquired.
"Hm, you're going to make a collection aren't you?" Naru giggled as she looked at him and showed him the hair.
"I noticed." Looking to the bathroom he saw Kushina walking out with her hair in a towel and now in more casual clothing. Slumping next to Minato she looked at Naru who seemed to notice her as she giggled and waved the hair again. Kushina only grunted as she looked at the stuff she had gotten from the store, all but the biapers not even open.
"I got a crib for her so she can sleep until we get her home." Minato nodded as he noticed the portable crib box. Giving Naruko to Kushina he went over to it and looked at it before taking the box with him to his and Kushina's room. Kushina waited for a few minutes as Minato came back and sat back down next to her.
"I set it up in our room." Kushina nodded as the two just sat in silence, Naru's little babbles being the only thing heard in the apartment.
After ten minutes of this Minato looked at Kushina. "You hungry?" She nodded as he got up and went to the cabinet to see what they had to eat. "We have some chicken and rice, want that?"
"Sure." Kushina answered as she looked at Naru who seemed to be calming down. Turning to look at Kushina, Naru stared at the woman. Kushina was a little confused until Naru began to squirm. Kushina lessened her grip on the girl as she turned to be able to sit on Kushina's lap while looking at her face to face. "What are you doing?" She asked the baby. Naru didn't answer as she just continued to stare at Kushina and began to point at her belly. Kushina looked at what she could be wanting but all that was there was her shirt. Pulling on the fabric she began to speak. "This?" Naru looked up to her as she said that and stayed quiet.
"You want my shirt? Oh wait you want something on don't you. You do kind of look cold. Yeah, here let's see what we got." Walking to the groceries she noticed a small onezi as she held it up to Naru. She seemed to like it as she made grabbing motions toward it. "OK Ok. I see you're a fan." Walking back to the couch Kushina laid Naruko down as she put the onezi on her. Naru seemed to love it as she giggled and waved her arms as if to celebrate.
Soon she smelt the aroma of food as Kushina looked to the kitchen and saw that Minato was almost done with dinner. Getting up with Naru the two looked at the food as both began to drool. "Hey you two stop drooling on the food." Minato said as he pushed Kushina away from the food. Both of the girls pouted as Kushina sat at the table with Naru on her lap. A few minutes later Minato brought a plate for them as Kushina thanked him and began to chow down, giving Naru some of her food as she did. Minato rolled his eyes as he ate his food, Kushina having already gone for a second helping.
After dinner all three sat on the couch, satisfied with the meal. Naru looked at the two adults as she they both began to yawn. This prompted her to do the same as she rubbed at her eyes.
Kushina and Minato notice this as Kushina picks up Naru, Minato getting to his feet as the three make their way to their bedroom to sleep.
Kushina placed Naru in the crib as she watched her drift off to sleep. She smiled as Minato watched her staying by the crib. "You going to bed?"
"In a minute." She said as she watched Naru continue to sleep.
"You're attached aren't you?" He said as he got out of the bed and stood next to her.
"A little. I know she isn't ours and all but."
"But?"
"I don't know. I mean she looks just like us."
"Yeah I guess she does." He said as he put his hand on her back and began to rub it.
"If we can't find them…"
"Kushina."
"IF, we can't find them. Can we keep her?" She pleaded as she gave Minato puppy dog eyes.
"She isn't ours. And we sucked at just giving her a bath. I mean do you really think we could even do it?" He asked.
"Of course we can. I mean look at us. We're some of the best in the village. We could totally do it."
"I'm not sure."
"Minato Namikaze. You're one of the best shinobi in this entire village and you're the second best seal Master in the entire world. Behind yours truly."
Minato chuckled as he looked down to the sleeping baby. "IF, we can't find them. Then sure."
"Good. Cause I wasn't taking no for an answer." Kushina smirked as she went to bed.
"You never do." He followed her back to bed as the two fell asleep for the night. Not knowing that else were, he would begin to rise.