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Stormy Days: Tales of Wind and Thunder	By : twistedsheets Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1047 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Title: Stormy Days:
Tales of Wind and Thunder
Author: twistedsheets10
Pairings: Namikaze Minato (the
Yondaime Hokage) x Uzumaki Kushina
Ratings: PG-13 for now
Disclaimer: Naruto is not my
property; I merely borrow them so we can play. :)
Summary: Spoilers for Naruto
367. Collection of drabbles/one-shots centering on the Yondaime Hokage and his
red-headed, tomboyish lady, Uzumaki Kushina�their past, loves, friends and
ultimately, the choices they made and the legacy they left behind.
3. Comforts
The rain began
not long after Minato left the hospital, where he had left Rin and Kakashi to
recover, just a few minutes after they told Obito�s parents that their son had
died in battle, his body buried in an unmarked grave of rocks and dirt in a
battlefield beyond the village.
�He was�very
brave,� Rin said. �He saved our lives.� Kakashi remained close-mouthed
throughout the whole thing, but did not begrudge Obito�s mother from embracing
him when they told her of her son�s gift.
Minato let the
rain fall on him, its cold drops bleeding down his body, seeping into his
clothes and his skin. In a minute or two, he would be soaked and chilled to the
bone, but he told himself the rain�s icy pinpricks was nothing compared to the
numbing blow he had felt when Obito died.
The memory of
the sounds of Obito�s mother�s sobbing quietly at the news still made Minato�s
chest tighten painfully. He�d announced and seen (and given) more that a few
deaths in his work as a shinobi, but Obito was different; he had been his
student, and in a way, had almost been like a younger sibling to him. A part of
him felt guilty about not being able to protect him, despite the knowledge that
it wasn�t his full fault that it had happened. If he had come sooner�
His mind
abruptly shut out that thought. No use dwelling on ifs. At least he had been
able to pay back their enemies in kind for what happened to Obito. He didn�t
relish in killing for vengeance, but he couldn�t deny the bitter satisfaction
he felt after he�d killed the Cloud shinobi when he rescued Kakashi and Rin,
and when they later blew up the bridge. The Third Shinobi War was turning to
their side now, and from what the Sandaime had told him earlier in his
de-briefing, would probably end soon. �Maybe after this war, we�ll have peace,�
Minato had remarked when he had finished his report.
The Sandaime�s
mouth lifted into a strange smile, his thin brows sloped in a thoughtful frown,
and said, �Peace?� He clasped his hands together behind his back, shoulders
hunched close, as if he was carrying a great weight, and turned away from him.
�Perhaps.� He glanced back at Minato. �We�ve been at war for so long it�s
difficult to remember what peace was like, or to imagine what a peaceful world
would be, and the place of a shinobi in it.�
�But shinobi
are humans too, Hokage-sama, and all humans have a place in peace. And what do
we fight for, if not for it?� Minato found himself saying. �I think peace would
be difficult for Konoha for a while, but perhaps in time our ideologies and
purpose will change and adapt to it.�
�Ah, the Will
of Fire.� The Sandaime faced him, his stubbled and scarred face brightening. �I
suppose you are right, Minato. My teachers both had that dream once. Perhaps it
will be your generation that will bring peace about.�
They were
silent after that, and then, hesitating briefly, Minato broached another, but
equally important, topic. �Hokage-sama, about Kakashi��
The Sandaime
gave a brief wave of his hand. �You have no need to worry about Kakashi and
Obito�s bequest to him, Minato. I will talk to the Uchiha elders. Such
gifts should not be taken lightly, nor are they to ignore its obvious value to
the village.�
He nodded,
relieved. Although Obito�s high-ranking father had promised to speak on
Kakashi�s behalf, the support of the Hokage was invaluable. �Thank you.� He�d
been reluctant in leaving Kakashi alone at the hospital, fearful that some of
the more extremist Uchihas would attempt to forcibly extract Obito�s eye from
Kakashi. It wasn�t until Tsunade and Jiraiya volunteered to watch over him that
he�d agreed to go home to get some rest.
�And they call
me overdramatic.� A feminine voice cut through the drone of the falling
rain, loud and familiar. �What are you doing walking out in the rain, you
stupid broomheaded blonde?�
Minato turned
to Kushina, who stood under the warm glow of a street lamp a few feet from him,
holding an umbrella over her head, glowering at him. On one hand, she held a
plastic bag filled with what looked like various grocery items. He smiled, the
sight of her comforting him despite his own inner turmoil. �Hey, didn�t notice
you there.�
�Obviously.�
She pursed her lips in disapproval and flicked back a stray lock of her hair.
She made no move to come nearer, and only narrowed her shadowed eyes as she
continued to look at him.
�I thought you
wouldn�t be back from your mission until tomorrow,� he asked, remembering that
Kushina had been in charge of sabotaging Clouds� water supply.
She sighed,
sounding exasperated. �It is tomorrow, chicken-head, but you�re right.
The mission wasn�t all that difficult, and we finished quicker than we earlier
thought.� She glanced away, her fingers tightening their grip on the umbrella�s
handle. Then she faced him again. �I heard about what happened to Obito, and
made my way back here as fast as I could.�
�Oh? Really?
Why?�
She looked at
him as if he was an idiot, and then she shrugged. �I was worried about you.�
Without another word, she went to his side, and shielded him from the rain with
her umbrella.
Her words sent
an unexpected shiver up his spine, and made him swallow whatever he was going
to say, her sudden nearness not helping at all. It took him a moment to speak
again. �Aw, I�m touched, Kuchina-chan. I didn�t think you cared about me all
that much,� he teased, trying to ease the awkward silence that crept between
them.
�Of course I
care about you.� Her full lips curled into a small frown, sounding both amused
and annoyed at the same time when she snapped, �We�ve been friends for years. I
thought you�ve figured that out a long time ago.�
He stared at
her, suddenly feeling very warm. Sometimes he forgot how terribly honest
Kushina could be, always so open with her opinions and feelings, never afraid
of expressing them. He wondered if she knew how fragile and strong those traits
made her, how easily she gave herself away to people who knew her well, and how
people could take advantage of her because of them, but then he realized she
probably didn�t care or notice.
�Well? What
are you gawking at?� she demanded, glaring at him. She kicked him lightly in
the shin. �Let�s go before we drown ourselves in this stupid rain. I don�t know
about you, but I don�t want to get sick.�
�Whatever you
say, Kushina,� he said in a placid tone, grinning. Her eyes slanted into slits
of amber, suspicious, but she didn�t say anything and started walking instead,
her steps brisk and purposeful as she stamped through the water puddles, Minato
ambling easily beside her.
The rain
continued to pour harder from the skies as they made their way to Minato�s
apartment, and soon filled the air like a fog, smelling strongly of wet earth
and greenery, thick and bittersweet. The heavy drops provided a steady
thrumming rhythm as it fell on the umbrella�s tightly stretched canopy. That
Minato could just flash both of them into his apartment he didn�t suggest.
Moments like these between them were becoming rare nowadays, as they were both
busy fighting the war, so he enjoyed it as much as he could.
�I�m sorry
about Obito,� she said finally, not looking at him. �You have my deepest
sympathies. It must have been a terrible loss for you and your team.�
The words
sounded strange coming so formally from her. But then death was one of the few
things Kushina took very formally, a legacy of her training, and the tragedy
that had fallen on her family and country. �It is,� he said simply. Their
voices were as soft as a whisper amidst the thundering rain. �Thank you for
your sympathy.�
�Well, if it
is any consolation, all�s not lost. Obito gave Kakashi his Sharingan eye, so a
part of him still lives. Not that it would ever replace Obito himself, but
still, it is much better than nothing.�
�How did you
know about the eye?� he asked, surprised. He didn�t think news about Kakashi�s
newly acquired Sharingan would spread so fast.
�Rin told me.
I saw them at the hospital. Kakashi was injured; I thought you�d be with them,
so I went there first. Probably missed you by a few minutes.�
�Logic,
Kushina?� he couldn�t resist saying. He widened his eyes in mock astonishment.
�From you?�
He stumbled
but quickly regained his balance as Kushina kicked him at the back of his
knees. �I don�t even know why I try being serious with you.�
�Because you
care for me?�
�Not with you
being an ass, no. I changed my mind.�
�Ah, how
mean.� Minato looked at the weeping sky. �I think you're right. Obito�s not
truly gone. As long as his memories and dreams still live inside those who knew
him�his family, his teammates�he�s still here with us.� The thought made his
heart lighter. �And Kakashi, Rin and I will do everything we can to make sure
of that.�
�I know.� The
corners of her mouth lifted into a small smile. �Of the three, he was the one I
liked best. He was always smiling, like you. And he was good at pulling
pranks,� she looked at him pointedly, �like you, too.�
He grinned at
the memory of the times he and Obito pulled pranks on people, with Kushina
being one of them. �Yeah, he was. I�m going to miss him.�
�We all will.�
She sighed, sounding, for a moment, lost and alone. �I wish this war would be over
faster.�
�The Sandaime
said that the war�s nearly over, so who knows? Maybe, some time very soon,
peace would come in our generation.�
She didn�t say
anything, as if letting the idea sink in. Then, her face shifting into an
expression of determination, she said fiercely, �I�m going to everything I can
to make that happen. People from both sides are losing too many of their
precious people from this pointless conflict. No one should go through that,
shinobi or no.�
�Count me in
on that.� He smiled, and then frowned and looked about. They were almost to his
apartment, and were nearing one of their favorite spots. �So, are we going to
stop by Ichiraku to get some ramen?�
She shrugged.
�If you want. I thought I�d fix you a warm bath and a meal, and then cap the
night with a bout or two of intense, mind-blowing sex, but seeing as you�re
tired, I think I�ll just accompany you to your apartment.�
His mind went
completely blank at those words�especially on the �sex� part�and he opened and
closed his mouth like some hungry fish gobbling after a tasty treat as his
brain tried to process what she just said. �Oh,� he managed. His heart chose
that time to be very athletic, and he felt light-headed for a moment. �I ah�I
don�t feel tired.�
Kushina burst
out laughing, loud and throaty, and Minato felt something in him deflate. �Ha!
Knew it!� She slapped him lightly on the shoulder and grinned. �Pervert. As if
I�d sleep with you.� Her face scrunched up into a look of mock disgust. �That
would be like sleeping with one of my brothers. Ew.�
�Anyway, maybe
you don�t feel tired, but you do look exhausted,� she chattered on. �I�m just
glad you�re OK. Being depressed wouldn�t have suited you at all. Your
coloring�s too bright for that, and with black and blue coupled with yellow, you�d
look like a bruise.�
�I see. So,
ramen?�
She shook her
head. �Nah, you should get home and get some rest. Besides, I promised Aunt
Tsunade to make sure you do.�
Minato thought
briefly what Tsunade would do if he called her aunt. Probably the beating of
his life. He shuddered, images of what she did to his sensei flashing in his
mind, and threw his earlier thought clear out of his head.
After a few
more minutes, they finally reached his apartment. The rain still hadn�t let up,
so Kushina had to continue to shield Minato with her umbrella as he fished for
his keys in his pocket and unlock the door, turning his back to Kushina as he
did.
Kushina was
prattling line after line of advice. �Get some rest, OK? It wouldn�t help if
you�re walking like a zombie tomorrow. And I�m serious about taking the hot
bath before you go to sleep.�
�I know, I
know.� After a few seconds, he had the door open. He grinned to himself.
�You�re cute when you worry too much, have I ever told you that?�
This time, she
kicked him in the ass.
�I should be
going,� Kushina said as Minato was getting up from the floor. She gave him a
stern look. �Do what I told you, OK? Try not to get sick.�
He nodded
absent-mindedly, feeling a little bereft at the impending loss of her presence.
�Thank you,� he said for what could be the umpteenth time tonight, �for
everything.�
�What are
friends for?� She smirked at him, and waved airily. �Good night, Minato. Don�t
oversleep.� Kushina hesitated for a moment, as if wanting to add more, but
eventually turned to leave. She had only taken a few steps away, however, when
she stopped abruptly, and then glanced over her shoulder and stared at him,
seemingly caught in a sudden indecision. Minato frowned, concerned.
�Oh, what the
hell,� he heard her swear under breath before she squared her shoulders,
whirled around and did something she had never done before in the years they
had been friends: she hugged him. In a heartbeat he was enfolded in a sudden,
comforting heat that seemed to seep within him, driving away the cold.
But it was
over just as fast.
He caught her
wrist before she could get far. He could hear Kushina exclaim a surprised,
�Wha�� as he pulled to him, enfolding her in a tight embrace, one arm wrapping
securely around her waist, his head resting awkwardly on her shoulder. She
stood rigidly for a moment, then sighed and relaxed in his arms. �You�re
wonderful, you know that?� he told her, speaking close to her ear. He could
smell the rain on her, the scent of spring in her hair.
�Yeah.
Whatever,� she muttered, and he felt her shiver in his arms, �now let go of me
before I smash your face and balls in. And stop crushing my chest, I can�t
breathe.�
Chuckling, he
released her from his arms, but still held tightly to her wrist. Then, before
he could stop himself, he lifted it to his lips, and gently kissed the back of
her hand. Her skin was smooth, damp and cool with raindrops, a hint of salt in
its taste.
He felt a
spike of satisfaction as her face turned as red as her hair. Sharp and quick,
Kushina snatched her hand back from him, and consequently lost her grip on the
umbrella as she did. It tumbled into the floor, leaving her exposed to the
falling rain. �Dammit,� she said under her breath, bending down to pick up the
umbrella, but Minato had beaten her to it and held it up for her. Scowling at
him, she grabbed the umbrella from him. �Don�t do that,� she bit out.
�You make me very uncomfortable when you�re like this.�
�Sorry,� he
said, but he wasn�t, not quite.
She narrowed
her eyes, the expression in them unreadable. �No, you�re not.� She stepped
back, and held out the bag of foodstuffs to him. �Here,� she huffed, �I nearly
forgot. I know you sometimes forget to buy food, so I bought you some. It
should last you until tomorrow.�
Minato took it
from her, smiling gratefully. �Thanks.�
The blood
still hasn�t receded from her face, and her eyes did not quite meet his. Giving
him a curt nod, she said, �You�re welcome.� She turned away from him, her
umbrella blocking his view of her back. �See you tomorrow.� He almost didn�t
hear her as the rain continued its downpour with renewed vigor.
�Yeah.
Tomorrow.� With that, she stepped back into the rain, and started walking away,
her steps quick and purposeful, like a doe startled away by an unknown noise.
Minato watched
her go, as was his habit. When she turned to a corner, out of his sight, he
finally headed into his apartment, closing the door firmly behind him.
Author�s
note:
This thing just keeps getting longer.
I don�t know
why I seem to write this two with a sad, melancholic air. Maybe it�s because
they both end up dying? I�ll try to have a more cheery tone between them in the
next one-shot.
If you�re
wondering why Kushina�s a little odd around Minato here, that�s because she
has�issues. Minato clearly likes her, more than as a friend, and she knows it,
but she is in denial. She does care about him, though.
And also,
English is not my mother language. That is all.
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Stormy Days: Tales of Wind and Thunder