Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

A/N:

Dearest Readers,

Here is another chapter! Thanks for sticking around and I hope you continue to do so. We have more Minato and Naruto interactions in this chapter. Sakura is branching out and getting into things. She is continuing to adapt and not only navigate her world but expand it. In this chapter we'll see some more of her growth as she gets more comfortable. Trust me, the Sakura we know from the anime/manga is coming. She'll build up to it and have in moments pretty soonish actually. Think that's all I want to say. Thank you for your time, patience, thoughts, support, and feedback!

~L.H.

Chapter 17: The Comforts of Food

Flashback

He fell to the ground in a heap, a grunt escaped his lips. The sound came out muffled by the navy fabric of his mask. His dark eyes narrowed as a hand came into his field of view. He batted it aside. His pride was more hurt by the blow and ultimate loss, than anything else. He pulled up into a seated position and draped his arms over his bent knees. He grabbed his wrist.

"One more?" The calm voice asked. There was something else in there, a hint of smugness. "I'll only use my left hand this time so you might have a chance."

Kakashi snorted. "It's only because you got a cheap shot in earlier." He rotated his shoulder slowly. "I had you otherwise."

"Right," his grin grew in size. The intensity of the sparkle in his blue eyes was directly proportional to the ire being directed at him by Kakashi's dark orbs. "There is nothing dishonorable about losing to a superior opponent, Kakashi."

Kakashi's whole frame stiffened. The smile fell off Minato's face almost the second Kakashi's body went rigid. He pointed his chin to his chest. Kakashi slid forward onto his knee. Within half a second, Minato was mirroring his posture.

"Namikaze-sama," they both said without emotion at the same volume.

The general's hands unclasped from his back. One migrated to the katana that was essentially affixed on his side.

"Honor." His father's eyes, so unlike his son's, were a cold, icy blue. His short blond locks - faded from age - clung closely to his head. His black yukata with intricate gold threadwork stood imposingly in front of them.

Kakashi nearly flinched from the man's tone alone. His aura of contempt made Kakashi's throat go dry. The arm resting on his bent knee shook ever-so-slight once.

"How tawdry of you to speak of honor when you know nothing of the sort. Get up, Boy." Naoto ordered his eleven-year-old son.

Minato felt the blood in his veins grow cold. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep the words from escaping his mouth. Speaking now would only serve to feed into his father's mood. He hesitated to comply. The fear in him kept him from moving.

"Are you deaf along with being dumb, Boy?!" Naoto asked in a controlled aggression.

"No, sir." Minato rose to his feet. His chin remained pointed to his chest.

"You will learn today," his father's hands grabbed the hilt of his sword.

'He can't be serious.' Kakashi's eyes widened in horror. He slowly got up to his feet.

"Pay attention," Naoto snapped in a voice, not unlike the voice he used to command battalions of men.

Minato raised his head. He barely had a split second to react, much less think, as his father's katana was tossed in the air at him. He caught it. He felt the weight of the sword in his hands. His wrist complained. Minato looked at his father warily, his body heavy with feelings of trepidation.

Both boys watched silently as Naoto reached over to pick up a wooden pole. He turned it in his hands. The six-foot pool moved through the air, menacingly.

"I will gift you the first move." Naoto's eyes narrowed as he fell into a defensive stance.

'Otosama.'

Minato's impassive face devoid of emotion did not speak to the sheer terror every cell in his body carried. He gripped the blade with both hands. He followed his father's movements. With his heart in his throat and his teeth pressed together tightly, Minato rushed his father.

Kakashi watched as a captive audience as Naoto dodged the blow and used his son's own momentum against him. He kicked the boy squarely in the stomach. The sword fell to the ground. Kakashi swallowed the painful lump in his throat.

"Get up, Boy." His father's hostile tone cut through the air.

Minato blinked at the sky as he tried to regain his breath. His front hurt all over. He rolled onto his side and coughed violently. It hurt to breathe. There were tears in his eyes. He used his hands to push himself up to his feet. He saw the disdain on his father's face and stance.

"You're weak." Naoto spat out.

Minato rubbed the blood from the corner of his mouth. His eyes searched the ground for the blade. He staggered over to it. An involuntary hiss left his mouth as he bent down to pick it up from the earth. His core protested painfully as he slowly raised the weapon and held it steady.

"Again," Naoto ordered.

Minato swallowed nothing but air as he yet again made the first move.

"Just where does he get off on it?!" She seethed through clenched teeth. Her face was painted into a mask of indignant rage. "Why is he like this?!" She asked the universe in general. Birds left their perches in trees at her volume. Her hands prodded the broken skin of his black and blue cheek.

"That stings, Kushina," Minato grumbled in a small voice.

"You're all black and blue, dattebane!" She lamented. She moved to wrap a bandage around his tender arm. It was clumsily done.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Minato asked her with less than ample confidence.

"No!" She paused her efforts to glare at him.

"You could try kissing it better," Kakashi said in a lazy drawl. His mask hid the smirk that appeared on his lips at the color that broke out across Minato's face. "What?" He asked disinterestedly at the glare Kushina was shooting at him. "I read that in one of Jiraiya-sama's books," he said with a shrug.

"You could have said something, Kakashi. Dattebane! You could have helped Minato." Kushina accused. Not nearly as bothered by Kakashi's blatant teasing as Minato.

Kakashi fell back onto his back. His head was cradled in his hands. "And end up like Minato? One of us had to be of sound body to drag the other out of there. Unless you'd prefer it if both of us were sleeping outside."

Kushina lowered her eyes. She saw no lie in Kakashi's words. She looked back at Minato. She barely recognized him. He was so swollen.

"What kind of father does this?" Her lips pulled into a pout.

"It's fine, Kushina." Minato smiled at her. "It looks worse than it is." He patted her hand. "I'm okay." He said in both a tone and manner that was very, very convincing.

She sighed. She lowered herself down on the grass just as Kakashi had earlier. She bent her knees. The sun was starting to fade. She rested her hands across her stomach.

"You're nothing like him." She said with conviction.

The smile turned into something much more glum on Minato's face. He tilted his head up and looked at the sky.

"You're right." He closed his eyes. "He's a warrior. He's strong."

"He's a monster." Kushina scoffed.

"She's not wrong," Kakashi added. "I don't remember much about my Otosan but even I know he wasn't anything close to yours."

Minato looked at his sloppily bandaged-up arm. His expression became reflective.

"Maybe he wasn't always like this. Maybe I'll become more like him when I go out there and make a name for myself. Maybe seeing war will harden me too."

"It won't," Kushina sat up and glared at him with all her might.

Minato furrowed his brow. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I would not be friends with you if you were anything like him, even a little. You are not him. You will never be like him." She said with conviction she pulled from every fiber of her being.

Minato felt the pressure in his chest reduce just enough that he could breathe without it hurting. His lips curled upwards. He stared into her violet eyes.

'Thank you, Kushina.'

His cobalt orbs said when he could not bring his lips to say. Her cheeks turned a light pink. They deepened to a red when she felt his fingers inch toward hers until they settled on top of her hand.

"Guys, I'm right here." Kakashi deadpanned. The throbbing on his head courtesy of Kushina's fists was worth seeing the expression on their faces when they remembered that he was in fact very much right there with them.

End of Flashback

"I'm not sure I understand," Sakura frowned as she fluffed the hay she had just put in the feeder.

Minato tapped his fingertips to his temple. He would have raked his hand through his blond hair if it were not for the obstruction on his head comprised of twisted fabric.

"How do you talk to him?" He repeated again at a slower pace.

Sakura's arm was fully stretched out as she held the pitchfork's handle steady with the center of her palm.

'I feel like an idiot.' Minato noted to himself.

"He's a kid. You speak to him just like you would speak to anyone." Sakura said almost dismissively. Her expression became reflected when she registered the blank look on his face. She did not mind the expression all that much. It made it easier to look at him.

'Nothing is more attractive than competence.'

"Just be yourself." She said after she ignored the not helpful thought that crossed her mind.

Minato kept his expression neutral. He was not going to outwardly react in any way. It was always better to make the enemy show their hand before acting. And he was still not convinced where Sakura fit in on the friend or foe spectrum of things.

"I mean," she cleared her throat. She pulled the neckline of her kimono to scratch her collarbone absentmindedly. "The Master should be himself. Kids are really perceptive. They sniff out a phony really quickly. Especially in adults. As long as the Master listens to what Naruto is saying - what he is actually and not what the Master wants him to say - and is patient it will go a long way. That's ninety percent right there."

'Just be myself, huh?' He was not entirely sure who that was anymore.

"It will be okay," she smiled reassuringly. "He's a good kid. A really good kid. Very interesting and easy to talk to. And if there is a lull in the conversation just tell the Master to bring up making future plans. He could ask Naruto-kun what he wants to do. He has a very active imagination."

He listened to her words. Even if they did not quite bring him comfort or reassurance they certainly were a distraction from the churning in his gut.

"The Master was a little boy once right?" She looked at him with her head tilted to the side. "As long as he remembers that it shouldn't be all that complicated or hard." She turned back to the horse. "Well, I'm done. Goodbye, Kaminari-san." She gave the stallion a tap on his neck. He nickered in response.

She moved past Minato.

'You really need to work on your goodbyes.' He thought dryly as he watched her retreating back for yet another morning. He stood stationary in place only to have his thoughts become preoccupied with yet another enigma of a person, a pint-sized person.

"Just the one letter this time, Haruno-san?" The man with thick eyebrows and shiny black hair that was nearly reflective in nature asked her.

"Just the one," Sakura answered with a smile. "I'll have one for my Obasan next time." She placed the coins on the counter. She and Lee exchanged the letters in their hands. She tucked it into her bag. Sakura tapped her fingers on the wooden surface. "See you in two weeks, Lee-san." She offered him one last smile before she turned around and set her feet in the direction of the navy blue door that was more glass than wood.

She inhaled as much as her lungs would allow of the late December air. The tip of her nose turned pink from the wind nipping at her skin. Her cheeks were second to change color. Sakura shoved her hands under her armpits in a feeble attempt to keep them warm.

'If only I knew how to knit. I could make myself gloves.' She thought moodily to herself. Years of watching her mother do embroidery in her childhood did not translate to any tangible skill for her.

'I suppose that's not completely true. I did stitch up my clothes and someone's skin pretty well.'

She felt heat rise in her as she pushed the treacherous memories down.

'If the roles were reversed, I would be killed on sight if anyone could read my mind.'

Honor. Honor was everything in their world. And for right or for wrong, she was responsible for upholding her father's honor. Sakura shook her head free of the thoughts plaguing her. She walked back toward the heartland of the village. Her eyes locked on a cart loaded to the brim with textures, shapes, and colors.

Sakura rubbed her hands together as she looked at the offerings and the prices. Her pink brows furrowed together. She frowned as she scanned the variety of vegetables laid out in neat stacks.

"I'm sorry," a voice broke her out of her reverie.

Sakura jumped slightly. She found herself face to face with a middle-aged man. "Pardon?" She tilted her head to the side just as she brought her clasped hands to her chest. Her fingers were turning red.

"I had to raise my rates a couple of weeks ago," he explained with genuine remorse. "It still does not feel right. But what can I do? I have a family to think about."

"No," Sakura shook her head. "Please don't feel bad." She looked at the onions. The deep purple and yellows gave her eyes something familiar to focus on.

"You look surprised," the man insisted. His brown apron did not somehow manage to camouflage the dried brown dirt stains.

"It's just been a while since I went shopping for vegetables." She admitted. Tonkia's farmer's market flashed in her mind. The smells, sounds, and most importantly the feelings.

The man narrowed his dark eyes. She found herself straightening out of reflex. She relaxed marginally at the presence of a large smile on his face.

"Oh! You're with the Namikaze house!" He clapped his hands together once in a booming sound. "Are you here to pick up the weekly groceries?"

Sakura blinked in surprise. Her fingers came to trace the pin on her kimono. "You supply the food for the Namikaze house?"

The man scratched at the center of his large bald spot. "Of course! I have been doing so for the past twenty years. My father had even longer before that. It's tradition. The Namikaze and Hirano families go back two generations!"

Sakura smiled at the clear pride on the man's face. "That's nice." She eyed the yams. "No, I'm just here to do some shopping of my own."

The man frowned. "Has the food not been enough?"

'Not nearly.'

She held up her hands. "No, no. I just wanted some different variety. Hirano-san," she looked at him. She was not going to be caught dead slighting her employer or even perceiving her doing so. "Do you carry seeds?" She asked eagerly to change the subject.

The man crossed his arms. She suddenly was concerned she offended him with her innocent question.

"No," his frown deepened. "Why do you ask?"

Sakura bit her lower lip. "I was thinking of starting a communal garden for the servants." She clamped her mouth closed.

'You just admitted to taking business away from him! Good going, Baka!'

"Nothing fancy. Just some herbs and maybe some root vegetables." She added quickly. "With the lack of rain and cold temperatures, the harvest will probably not yield anything." She chuckled nervously trying to downplay her blunder.

"You're not from around here are you, girl?" The man was studying her intently.

"No sir," she answered truthfully. There was no point in lying. Her accent gave her away. She was just thankful her hair was out of sight. That was a dead giveaway. People did not forget meeting her when they saw the pink.

"Figured, you're too open." The man grinned revealing a smile missing teeth.

"Hirano-san?" She looked at him with a slack jaw.

"You're not a big village folk. You're like me. Simple. From the fields, from the farm." He nodded his head with conviction. "Honest," he practically declared with conviction.

"That obvious huh?" She shuffled on her feet as she pulled the sleeve of her blue kimono down. The action drew his attention to her callous hands.

"It's impossible to hide completely where you come from," the man said in a grave voice. "No matter how much is thrown on top, your body, your essence always betrays you in the end."

Sakura dipped her head forward. She looked down at her well-worn clothes. Even her sandals were on their last leg. She moved to subtly hide her hands. They told her life story just as his did.

"I tell you what?" The man's voice broke the still, forcing her to raise her eyes to look at him. "For you, I'll set aside some seeds. Seeds of things that can survive this weather. How's that?"

Sakura looked at him taken aback. "I can pay you," the words rushed out of her mouth in a single breath.

The man laughed heartily. "Good. I was countin' on it."

"Thank you, Hirano-san." She dipped her head in gratitude.

"It's nothing. Now, does anything in the meantime look appealing?" He gestured to the vegetables. "I have grain and rice in the shop," he pointed over his shoulder.

Sakura's eyes gleamed. "Would you mind if I looked around?"

"Not at all, follow me girlie." He walked to the door.

"Do you give discounts for bulk purchases?" She asked him innocently. Her eyes were already reading the prices for the various goods.

"Do you always ask so many questions?" He shot up a brown eyebrow.

Sakura smiled. "Depends on the company."

"I like you, girlie." He grinned openly. "Take as much time as you need. Don't be surprised if I throw in a couple of potatoes with your purchase." He winked at her before heading back outside to his stall. She ran her fingers along the price tags, her mind busy with filing the information away.

"Why isn't Ambe-san coming?" Naruto looked up at Minato with his big blue eyes. His blond hair was somewhat tamed against his head. His blue kimono with the white spirals brushed against his ankles with every step he took. The red hanori he wore over it had been ironed. Minato could still see the crisp creases.

"Ambe-san had to stay back, it is just the two of us." He answered the query patiently. He noticed the way Naruto's face seemed to fall slightly. Minato ignored the way his own stomach sank at the development. "I hope that's okay with you?" He smiled at the boy.

Naruto looked at the ground. "It's okay, I guess." He did not sound very confident in his statement.

'Just be patient.'

Minato's smile did not betray the slight hurt he felt. Naruto was walking close to him as the streets were bustling with activity. The boy appeared to be almost timid both with his words and actions.

"Do you explore Konoha often?" Minato asked him in a light tone. He kept a close eye on the boy from the corner of his eye. A couple of times he had to reach out and lead him by the shoulder to prevent him from getting lost in the masses.

"No. Ambe-san said it's dangerous." Naruto lowered his head. "The last time I went out my friend got hurt."

"That must have been scary." He commented. "Is your friend okay now?"

Naruto nodded his head. He instinctively reached for the fabric of Minato's dark blue kimono as the street narrowed and became congested.

Minato played off the action without reacting but he felt his stomach jolt slightly. It was not entirely unpleasant.

"Where are we going?" Naruto looked up at him. His lower lip almost pulled into a pout.

"It's a surprise," Minato's eyes twinkled.

Naruto scowled in response. He bumped against Minato's leg as they moved through the streets of their village. The sun would be setting soon.

"You'll like it," Minato said in a manner that he could only guess was reassuring.

Naruto's eyes went wide. He looked at Minato with surprise. He pointed excitedly to the lit stall. "Are we going in there?!" He asked with barely contained excitement.

"You've been here before?" Minato could not keep the surprise from his face.

Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "With Jiichan!" He explained. "Can we go inside now?!"

Minato felt the boy tugging on his hand.

"Come on! I'm hungry."

Minato shook his head as he allowed the boy to all but pull him towards the object of his desperate desire. He ducked down to avoid colliding with the white curtain that hung at the threshold. The salty, umami aroma was the first thing to greet him. He saw Naruto already move to scoot into a stool. The boy did not allow for the fact that the stool was nearly as tall as him to stop him from settling atop it.

Minato's eyes softened as he watched Naruto alternate between tapping the red plastic counter with his palms and bringing them together.

"Ramen! Ramen! Ramen!" He sang his little song to go along with the rhythmic taps. He swung his legs back and forth in his giddiness.

"You must like ramen," Minato said with a chuckle as he slid into the stool to the right of Naruto.

"It's the best, dattebayo!" Naruto beamed.

Minato's heart clenched. There was a strain in his eyes as he watched the boy. He lifted his head. His eyes locked with a familiar face.

"Namikaze-san," Teuchi said as if he had seen a ghost. After all, it had been years since he saw the man. A half-decade.

"Teuchi-san," Minato greeted him with a pleasant smile. "How are you?"

"Fine. Fine," the man slipped off his hat to scratch his head. The white hat with red kanji took its place atop his head. "My, my Naruto-kun," he looked at the boy. "You've grown half a foot since I saw you last!"

Naruto grinned. "I'm getting big!" There was a wall in the main house that marked his progress. Sakura started it for him two weeks ago. So far nothing. He grew slower than the potatoes.

"That you are," Teuchi looked at Minato. "Your usual?"

Minato's brows shot up. "You remember?"

"Oh course," Teuchi rubbed the back of his head. "Kushina-chan was my best customer."

The warm air seemed to suddenly chill before it sank. Naruto looked between their faces, curiosity glowing in his blue eyes.

"Forgive me," Teuchi lowered his head. "I am sorry for your loss, Namikaze-san."

"Thank you," Minato said in a small voice. The hand that was once flat against the top of his thigh was clenched into a fist.

"Ramen?" Naruto's voice broke both of them out of their tortuous trains of thought.

"Oh course, Naruto-kun!" Teuchi grinned easily, shedding his dour mood. "Miso?"

"Yes, please!" Naruto clapped his hands together.

"Alright then! I will be right out. Don't go anywhere," he pointed at Naruto.

Naruto grinned. "I won't!"

Teuchi dipped his head towards Minato before he disappeared behind the thick black curtain.

Naruto let out an agitated huff. Minato turned his head to look at the boy. His cheek was pressed onto the countertop. It was a complete one-eighty of his earlier disposition.

"Something wrong, Naruto?" Minato asked him.

"This is the worst part!" Naruto exclaimed. "I hate waiting." He grumbled. "I'm so hungry!"

'Oh, Naruto.'

He looked at the hunched-over frame of the boy. He looked like his bones were made of jelly. He racked his brain for how best to keep the boy appeased. Especially if he did not want Naruto's guard to go back up and for him to become reserved like all their prior interactions.

'The Master was a little boy once right?'

Her voice rang in his head rather unexpectedly. He searched the small stall with his eyes. "I don't like waiting very much either," Minato began in a light tone.

Naruto peeled his cheek from the counter. He looked at Minato with curiosity reflecting off his eyes. "Really?"

Minato nodded his head. "But I learned how to pass the time."

"How?" Naruto asked, his impatience getting the better of him.

"By playing a game," Minato answered. "What to play?"

"Yeah!" Naruto looked at him expectantly. "How do I play?"

"Well," the older blond began. "I will find something in the room and describe it to you and you have to guess. If you guess correctly before our ramen gets here you win."

"What do I win?" Naruto asked excitedly as he leaned in.

"If you win," Minato rubbed his chin. "If you win, we'll get dessert after ramen. How does that sound?"

"Good!" Naruto pumped his fists. "Let's play already! Dattebayo!"

"Okay, okay. Settle down a bit." He coaxed Naruto to sit back on his stool with his hands. "I spy with my little eye," his blue eyes darted around the space, "something white and red." He looked back at Naruto's face. "Think you can guess it?"

Naruto pinched his face together as he looked around. He rose from his chair and put his palms flat on the counter as he tried to get a better vantage point.

"Um," he leaned back and forth. His blue eyes moved around the dark wood panels and the shelves lined with bowls and pots. His gaze focused on the singular image hung on the wall of the stall owner and his daughter. They were smiling with pride. He looked at the pitcher of water sitting on the higher tier of the two-level red countertop.

"Ramen man's hat?" Naruto posed his first guess.

Minato shook his head. "Good guess but it's not Teuchi-san's hat."

"I see white!" He pointed to the curtains behind him. "I see red!" He tapped the counter. "I don't see both."

"Look closely," Minato encouraged.

"It's too hard! This game is boring." Naruto crossed his arms.

"You can learn a lot by just observing, Naruto," Minato said gently. "Give it a couple more tries."

"What's ob-obb-serving mean?" He pinned his father with the full weight of his quizzical gaze.

"It means watching. Sometimes to pass the time when I was your age when I didn't have anyone to talk to, when your Kaka-Ojiisan was not around, I would people-watch. Being observant helped me be good at my job."

Naruto pushed his lips to the side. "I used to watch people too, in my tree. Before I made a friend." He scratched his head.

"You bring up your friend a lot," he put his elbows on the table. "How did you become friends?"

"I broke her water pot," Naruto said unapologetically. "Before that, I messed up her laundry."

'That's unexpected.'

"Why did you do that, Naruto?" His lips tugged downward in the slightest of frowns.

"I was bored," Naruto said with an indifferent shrug. "No one at the house played with me.

"Did she play with you?"

"No," he scratched his cheek. "Not at first." His eyes lit up." Ramen!" He held his hands out.

"Careful it's hot, Naruto," Minato guided his hands away from the steaming bowl that was being lowered in front of the boy.

Naruto inhaled deeply. "It smells so good!" He leaned over to reach for the chopsticks. Minato moved the canister out of reach. The boy pouted.

"We have to wait," Minato nodded his head in thanks as Teuchi put his larger bowl in front of him. "Let's get back to our game," Minato suggested, foreseeing a tantrum.

Naruto grumbled. He quickly looked around the room. "The counter." He said with a stark lack of enthusiasm.

Minato shook his head. "One more try. Be careful with what you pick. Take your time." He paused. "Why don't I give you another hint?"

"Okay," Naruto tore his eyes away from the bowl to give his undivided attention to his father, for however long it lasted.

"I spy something with my little eye that is white and red and has a yellow bell." Minto glanced over at the figurine sitting on the top of the highest shelf of the organizer. He lingered longer than necessary before he looked back down at his bowl.

Naruto had followed his gaze. His eyes locked on the painted white ceramic feline with red ears and eyes. Around its neck was a yellow bell.

"The cat!" He pointed in excitement.

"That's right," Minato grinned. "You guessed correctly!"

"I win! I'm gonna get dango!" Naruto's voice rose along with his excitement. He licked his lips. "Can I eat ramen now?"

Minato handed him a pair of chopsticks. He watched as Naruto broke them apart. "Stir a couple of times," he suggested.

"Thank you for the food!" He sang happily. He tucked into his meal. Barely chewing and most definitely not blowing.

Minato smiled into his own meal. He said his own words of thanks before taking his first bit. The sounds of Naruto's slurps and the back of his heels hitting his stool filled the small space. It was decidedly nice.

"Naruto?" Minato looked at Naruto who had just lifted his bowl to get the last remaining drops of salty goodness on his tongue.

"Mm?" The boy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Minato sighed as he dabbed the boy's lips with a handkerchief he procured from his pocket.

"There's something I want to talk to you about, it's a little serious," Minato said in a mild tone. He put the handkerchief back in his pocket.

Naruto turned in his stool. He folded his hands. "I'm serious now." The boy announced.

It took nearly all of Minato's self-control not to ruffle the boy's hair like his mother used to ruffle his. His cobalt eyes softened as he regarded the boy. He had even stopped fidgeting.

"Naruto it's important that you know I did not leave you for no reason. There was a very good reason for why I had to be away." Minato cleared his throat. He reached for his glass of water. He was starting to overheat.

He looked at the boy as he set the empty glass down.

"Do you know where I have been this whole time, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded his head. "Work," he answered simply.

"That's right," he looked down at the empty bowl in front of him before he raised his eyes to meet Naruto's once again. "I have been very busy with my job. And it is a very important one."

Naruto rubbed his eye. "Shika said his Otosan has an important job too."

Minato nodded his head. "He does."

Naruto frowned. "Then how come Shika's Otosan visited him and you never visited me before?"

Minato coughed. It felt like someone had punched him in the gut. Naruto stared back at him, unwavering in his gaze.

"That is a good question." Minato rubbed the back of his head. "While Shikamaru-kun's Otosan and I have similar jobs, they are not the same. I was of more use at the frontlines." He paused to gather himself. "But I should have tried harder. I should have visited you sooner."

"Is the reason why you had to go away over now?" Naruto asked him innocently.

"No," Minato shook his head. "It's not over yet."

"Then why did you come back?" Naruto implored.

Minato bit the inside of his cheek. "I was not feeling well. But I'm feeling much better now."

"Does that mean you have to go back?" Naruto tilted his head to the side.

'He's perceptive.'

"Maybe in the future but not right now. I'm still not feeling my best." He admitted. His hand subconsciously went to his side.

"If you have to go back," Naruto drew circles on the counter with his fingers. "Will you visit me sooner?"

"Yes," Minato said firmly. "If I have to go back I will visit you much sooner and more often."

"Okay." Naruto looked at him.

"Okay," Minato let out a breath.

"Otosama?" Naruto called him timidly.

Minato ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach. "Yes, Naruto?"

"When will Okaasan visit me?" Naruto asked him with unconcealed sadness in his eyes. "Is she away doing important work too?"

Minato felt what was left of his broken heart break even more. He swallowed thickly. "I don't know, Naruto." He pushed down the emotion. "Are you all done?" The boy nodded his head. "Good. Let's go get your dango." Minato said halfheartedly.

Sakura balanced the green winter squash on her hip. The bag containing her goods - both of the purchased and gifted variety - rattled in her arm. She dipped her head in thanks at the guard before she stepped over the gate. She sighed. A content smile graced her lips. She had taken all but twenty steps before she felt fingers sink into her upper arm and drag her without warning.

"Hey!" Sakura hissed as she was whirled around roughly. Her back hit the rear wall of the bathhouse, hidden from prying eyes and curious ears. Sakura glared at the grinning brunette with hazel eyes. "What's the deal?"

"That's my line, Sakura-chan." Juna poked her in the chest.

Had both of Sakura's hands not been occupied she would have covered the spot with a scandalized look on her face.

"Juna-san!" Sakura's tone was rich with disapproval.

"Whoa," Juna frowned. "What's all this?" She gestured vaguely to the contents of Sakura's hands.

"Food," Sakura beamed. "We can eat most of it now and use the scraps or seeds to grow more. Isn't it great!" All traces of her previous irritability were gone.

"You've been holding out on me." Juna crossed her arms and gave her a harsh glare.

"How?" Sakura asked her in a state of pure confusion. "I just got here with this. Just now."

"Not the food, Sakura-chan," Juna whined. "Honestly. You have a one-track mind. There are more important things than food, Sakura-chan." The slightly older woman chided her. "I need to sit." She brought her hands to the small of her back.

"Just a second," Sakura said before scurrying over to find her a seat. She lowered the woman down onto the stool. Before Sakura could rise to her feet, Juna grabbed her wrist in a surprisingly firm grip.

"Spill," the woman ordered flatly.

"Juna-san," Sakura spoke with more calm than she felt. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, so that's how you want to play it?" The woman said in a warning tone.

"Play what?" Sakura answered in a huff. She lowered the kabocha to the ground softly.

"Okay!" Juna clapped her hands in excitement. Sakura blinked. "You will not believe what someone saw earlier today."

'That explains it, gossip.'

Sakura bit back a groan. "Whatever it is, Juna-san, I'm not interested. I should get the squash to Miharu-san so she can cook it for dinner tonight."

"Sakura-chan," Juna's grin was predatory. "You're interested." She wiggled her eyebrows.

Sakura's ankles protested but she held her squatted position. "Fine, what did someone see?" She asked blandly with blatant disinterest.

"A very, very, very attractive man," Juna eye's were honed in on Sakura's face, ready to pounce on any hints of weakness. "I believe he attends to the Master's horse?" She was practically cackling.

Sakura's stomach dropped to her toes. She gulped loudly.

"He was talking to a little old servant," Juna batted her eyelashes. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" She asked innocently in a saccharine voice.

"No," Sakura said with an impassive face. "Ouch!" She brought her hand to her side. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. "You pinched me!"

"You lied to me." Juna shot back. "Consider us even."

"What is wrong with you?" Sakura asked the question before her brain could sign off. She covered her mouth with her hand.

Juna grinned. "Tell me, tell me. Tell me!" She said with the giddiness of a small child.

"There's nothing to tell," Sakura kept her expression and voice schooled. She found herself to be convincing enough.

"Well tell me nothing before I make it something," she threatened with a smile on her face.

"Juna-san!" Sakura looked at her with wide eyes. "I could lose my job."

"So you better not leave anything out," Juna stared at her nails, completely unbothered.

'Kami, this is why you should not be nice to people. It always comes to bite you in the ass.'

Sakura rolled her eyes up heavenward as if hoping for a torrential downpour to drop down on them right then and there. The clear sky greeted her back, unchanging.

"He is an attendant of the Master's horse. He was injured in the war. He's responsible for the horse. He makes sure that I don't do anything to set the horse off or do anything wrong. That's it." She explained quickly, hoping that Juna would lose interest.

"That's not what I heard," Juna said with a snort.

"What did you hear?" Sakura asked with narrowed eyes and a jutted chin.

"That you and Mister Dreamy were very, very chummy." She held Sakura's heated gaze.

"Kai-san misread the situation," Sakura said calmly.

Juna narrowed her eyes. She searched Sakura's face for cracks for a solid sixty seconds. Juna pouted.

"I knew it was too good to be true! Agh!" She groaned in frustration. "Was he even cute?"

Sakura's face heated involuntarily. She looked down.

"He was!" Juna brightened. "Oh, how exciting. I can't wait to lay eyes on him."

Sakura shot her a look of disbelief.

"What? Being married doesn't change the fact that I have eyes." She deadpanned. "Kai-kun and I are very secure in our relationship. He doesn't care if I look because he knows that at the end of the day, I always enter our quarters."

"Juna-san!" Sakura's blush deepened.

The woman ran a hand over her belly. "You do know how I got to be this way, don't you Sakura-chan?" Juna tilted her head to the side in a gesture that was entirely too innocent. "I can explain it to you if you don't know." She grinned.

Sakura shot to her feet. "Let's go to the kitchen." She stammered out, flustered.

Juna giggled. "You're too easy." She held up her arms. Sakura helped her to her feet. Juna watched as Sakura grabbed the melon. "Or maybe you're not as innocent as you appear." She said matter-of-factly.

Sakura furrowed her brows.

"How did you get all this food?" Juna peered into the canvas bag. "Did you do something naughty? Is the vegetable man a closeted perv? Did you let him touch you? Flashed him some skin?"

Sakura's eyes widened to the size of her head. "No!" She sputtered. "I was just nice!" She screeched in indignation. Her mind flashed to the pages of the book on her desk given to her by the good doctor. Specifically, the set of pages that highlighted in detail what differentiated a man from a woman, biologically. She shook her head violently as the blush deepened into a full-on fluster.

Juna threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, Sakura-chan. I am so, so, so glad I met you." She looped her arm around Sakura's. "Let's go get this melon cooked, eh?" She asked cheerily, grinning ear to ear.

Sakura slumped forward and muttered darkly under her breath for the entirety of their walk.

The weight that had been on his chest since even before dinner had migrated down and lodged itself firmly in his gut. His guilt felt like it was literally eating him alive. Being back in the compound, being back here was harder than facing a thousand enemy soldiers. At least in that scenario, he knew himself. He knew he could rely on himself. He was competent.

Here, back in the place that looked, smelled, and reminded him of home, he was much less so. He was lost. He was second-guessing everything. He tugged on the wrap tie of his jacket more firmly around his waist. The cool air hit him square in the center of his chest. The parts of his skin not covered by the blue fabric rose into bumpy flesh. He shivered.

His feet walked the path they traveled countless times before. He veered off the paved path. The gravel crunched under his sandals. He closed his eyes. The sounds of the stream of water hitting the surface of the lake consumed him. He could picture her. He could almost feel the weight of her against his arms and his chest. He inhaled deeply. His mind remembered the way she smelled, of lilacs and rain.

It was all a lie. He was forgetting. He had already forgotten what her voice sounded like. He held stubbornly onto what he could remember with every ounce of his mental capacity. Her face, her hair, her eyes, the way she moved, the way she spoke, the way she carried herself. Her strength. Her conviction. Her confidence. Her kindness. Her anger. Her beauty. Her ability to befriend anyone. All the things that made him fall for her so hard and so completely.

She was everywhere. She was in everything. She was in the walls of the home. The placement of the furniture. The china they ate off of every morning. The color scheme of the decorations. In his smile. In his impatience. In his exuberance for life. In his love of food, especially ramen; in the way he smiled, in the way he laughed. She was in him.

He saw more and more of her every day the longer he interacted with his son, with their son. She was all he saw. She was everywhere.

He looked at the dormant azalea. The one she planted. In the spring it would bloom with violet flowers. There would be more flowers than leaves. After about two weeks the flowers would wither and die. Only to reappear in 356 days.

"They're purple! They'll remind you of my eyes." She had grinned from the depth of her heart when she said that as she supervised the planting of the bush. She would have done it herself if Tomoha had not given her a stern talking-to that ultimately made her reconsider. Just the threat of Naoto seeing the 'improper' display was enough for Kushina to abandon the idea.

He reached out a hand. He touched the fuzzy, soft leaves. The bush was like her in more ways than one. The flowers were violet just like her eyes. And the bloom cycle - no matter how breathtakingly stunning - was short-lived, just like her.

She was gone. Gone forever. Minato swallowed thickly. His guilt was now in the back of his throat in the form of bile.

'It should have been you, Kushina. You should be the one to raise him. I'm sorry.'

The wind caressed his face, carrying off the tears that trailed down his cheeks.

Please review. Thank you!