Third person pov
It's inconceivable, and Hiruzen wonders how he's going to break it to the counsel, and to the village as a whole. Such a thing shouldn't have been a possibility. He knew they'd be met with waves of disbelief, and he couldn't say he'd blame them for it.
It was astonishing to see Minato Namikaze, alive and smiling as brightly as the last time Hiruzen had seen him. He thought of all the things that would change now that the blonde man was back. Once it was established that he was alive and was who he claimed to be, he could get caught up on current events and retake his place as the Fourth. The village's standing would be re-strengthened, and the village, reinvigorated with his return. And Naruto would---
Naruto. Hiruzen's mind halted on him as Minato pulled back from his hug with Kakashi, his blue eyes turning steely as he asked to be taken to his son. It made sense. He had gone straight for Naruto as soon as he got back, searching for him from the moment he stepped foot into the village.
Minato had been backed into a corner and forced to seal the Nine Tails in Naruto, fighting to keep his infant son alive. Waking up after weighing his son down with such a burden had to have sent him into a frenzy of worry, not knowing whether or not his son was alive, or healthy, or able to bear the chakra.
Hiruzen had put strict rules in place to keep Naruto from finding out he was a Jinchuriki, and to keep other nations from finding out he was one. It being forbidden to speak prevented civilians from outright saying it, but their distaste towards the boy had always been clear. It wasn't something Hiruzen could publicly address without causing some sort of uproar, or without it getting out of the village just what Naruto was hosting. Hiruzen's hands were tied.
Shamefully, he could admit to having been somewhat... neglectful of Naruto's needs. He made sure he had money and a place to sleep, and visited with him regularly to see how he was doing, but he did little to check in on the behavior of Konoha's residents. He knew it... he knew it was less than acceptable.
Minato wasn't going to be very happy about that. Hiruzen remembered him to be a kind, level-headed man. This, understandably, was not something he would simply sit back and accept.
Minato barely stopped to ask if he was dismissed before Hiruzen was standing and waving him off. His only request was that Minato be ready to come back to speak with the elders of Konoha, and that he try to keep himself out of heavily-populated roads until the announcement of his survival was broadcast.
Minato smiled and bowed his agreement to the terms before turning to race after Kakashi, who was just itching to take his sensei to his son. The copy-cat ninja was excited to finally meet the boy, and to be able to watch him get the family he deserved. Finally, finally he'd be safe, and loved, and treated as he deserved. Kakashi was practically teeming with excitement.
There was something unbelievable about looking back and seeing his sensei darting after him. So alive and vivid, with a determined smile set on his face and trust in his eyes. He took off after Kakashi, wordlessly accepting his student's guidance and not once doubting him.
There had always been something so earth-shattering about Minato's faith. It was so easy to earn, and just as easy to lose. To maintain it was truly a feat. To see it still in tact after six years made Kakashi's eyes water uncharacteristically, and he tried to slow his racing heart. He wasn't sure whether or not this was a dream. If it was, he never wanted it to end.
"The village has changed so much!" Minato called over the wind rushing past his ears. Kakashi's gaze snapped to him, his one visible eye widening as though he hadn't expected to be talked to. Minato couldn't help but laugh a little. "I'm glad its recovered so well! Though, I can't say I'm super happy about how I found Naruto!"
It was said with a smile, but Kakashi could detect an undertone of threat in his voice. He was still pissed, and rightfully so. His first glimpse of his son six years in the future and he's watching the boy get kicked in the stomach and called a demon.
If not for his sensei's god-like patience, Kakashi was sure the man would've run off the find the offender and wrung them by their throat. Kakashi felt his heart squeeze as he thought about having to tell his sensei what had been going on with Naruto, the searing heat of shame burning a hole in his chest. He could feel Minato's gaze focused on his face, unwavering but not accusing.
Minato knew just by looking at Kakashi that he'd done what he could. Hiruzen's tension when Minato requested to go find Naruto told him that the elders of the village had played a large part in whatever had been going on. He didn't know how the abuse had started, just that it wasn't okay by any means. His head spun imagining his son in any sort of pain.
Naruto (obviously) wasn't the same infant Minato remembered, but the connection he felt to the boy remained, and the love was as strong as ever. The all-encompassing feeling of being willing to do anything to ensure one person's happiness filled him with a warm glow.
"I haven't been allowed to meet him." Kakashi admitted. Minato's face creased with a frown. Kakashi hadn't been allowed to talk to Naruto? "Not many know he's your son. The other nations would send assassins in droves if they found out. Especially if they knew of his status as a Jinchuriki. The Third forbid anyone from speaking of either. Anyone who knew you has been banned from contact with him. Being his ANBU guard has been my only way to get close to him, sensei."
Minato sucks in a sharp breath of air that makes Kakashi flinch mid-jump. He can't bring himself to look at the man. He's afraid of what he'll see. He fears he'll turn, and the dream will end, and suddenly Minato will be looming over him, asking him why he never acted and helped Naruto.
It wouldn't be the first time he's had a nightmare like that. Failing Minato-sensei is something he had always feared, and he felt like he truly had when it came to Naruto. What he was doing wasn't enough. He could've found a way to go behind Lord Third's back, but he hadn't, and--
"Thank you, Kakashi." Minato's voice drew his attention again. Minato smiled at his student, radiating reassurance. "Thank you for protecting him until now. You did all you could, and that's more than I ever could've asked for."
Kakashi was forced to look away and wipe at his eyes again. Minato laughed a little, giving the Hatake a hearty pat on the back. He was glad Kakashi had been here.
Sure, Minato was scared of what he was going to find— terrified, really— and he wasn't too happy with the Sandaime, but at least Kakashi had tried. It was more than Minato could say for anyone else so far.
The abuse against Naruto was obviously severe, and Hiruzen had just let it happened? Minato didn't care about the circumstance. No child should be treated like that by anyone. Especially not Naruto, who had been forced to give up so much without even knowing or having a choice. Minato still felt laden with guilt knowing what he had sealed in his son. If there were any other option, he would've taken it.
Kakashi told Minato a little about Naruto. He was a prankster who took after Kushina and could eat his weight in ramen. He was unbelievably slippery, sometimes even evading Kakashi on his best days. He was a natural chakra sensor just like Minato, able to pick up on and differentiate people's unique signatures.
It wasn't a skill that was honed, but Kakashi left himself purposely open for the boy to feel. At least that way he knew he wasn't alone. It was far from the best, but still better than nothing.
His favorite color was an orange that would make your eyes bleed if you looked at it for too long, and he had already heartily declared that his dream was the be Hokage someday. He was an optimistic kid, even with the constant glares. He knew how to put a smile on and ignore it all.
Minato was practically tripping over himself listening to the details, soaking up the information like a greedy sponge and asking a million questions. The information didn't feel like enough. Nothing did. Nothing ever would be— these six years were years he'd never get back no matter how much he learned about them, he knew.
Minato felt his bright smile dim quite a bit as Kakashi turned and began to bee-line towards a dilapidated apartment building that looked to be on the verge of toppling over.
The roof was missing a fair amount of shingles and some of the railing on the upper flooring's walkways was gone entirely. Cracks in the foundation climbed up and into the chipped brick walls. The entire structure looked like it might be leaning to the side, sagging awkwardly.
Minato could feel his heartrate begin to speed up the closer they got to it. The alley behind it had a massive pile of trash bags that had yet to have been picked up, and a few homeless folks were sitting about and smoking cigarettes. Kakashi leapt towards the building. Minato took a deep breath and followed.
Kakashi landed on the upper floor in front of a door that Minato knew immediately was his son's. The door had a few gashes in it that luckily didn't seem to go all the way through. The knob looked like it was about to fall off, tilted in a way that made it seem as though someone had tried to wriggle it off. Words like "monster" and "demon" had been painted on crudely.
Minato could tell someone had tried futilely to scrub the letters off to no avail. He felt his heart ache at the sight, the image of his six year old son forced to try and wash insults of the entrance to his home making him blink back tears. Kakashi observed his sensei for a moment, soaking in his image as he knocked.
There was a pause and then the sound of shuffling on the other side of the door. Minato held his breath as the click of a latch being undone sounded. He took a small step back, his heart racing.
His son was in there. He was already so big. Would he want to meet Minato? Would he be upset because he'd been gone so long?
Kakashi put a hand on his sensei's shoulder, unable to stop from basking in the solid warmth. He was alive, and he was here for Naruto. He was back. It felt like the world had been righted again.
Things had been so off kilter since his death. The entire village had been on edge, and the tensions that had arisen were severe. Him being back was a blessing in more ways than one.
The door creaked open hesitantly, a small form peeking out of the created crack. A large blue eye the same color as Minato's gazed up at them with apprehension and fear. Minato felt his heart seize at the sight, his eyes going wide.
Naruto was so, so tiny. He looked so much like him, but like Kushina too, and it— it was almost too much. There was a defiant glint in his eye as he opened the door a little wider, his little shoulders tense. He was ready to run if he needed to. It made Minato's eyes sting harder.
Naruto's gaze shifted to Kakashi, eyes moving up to his (kinda ugly in Naruto's opinion) hair. He had felt his chakra enough to recognize him. It was the only reason he had answered the door. This was, undoubtedly, his shadow. The nice one.
The man from earlier was there too, looking at him like he'd just shattered his entire world and then put it back together again all in the span of a few seconds. Naruto felt his little hands grip the door's knob and frame, the memory of the man scooping him up coming back unbidden. He had called him his son, but Naruto wasn't good enough for parents... was he?
He'd been an orphan his whole life. His parents hadn't wanted him, he was told. He understood. The villagers had to be calling him a demon for a reason. Even if Naruto didn't know exactly why, would they do that for no reason? He didn't know. He didn't think so.
The man had picked him up, though. He had held him so carefully, like he'd break if he wasn't careful. He'd defended him. When was the last time someone had done that? Naruto couldn't think of nearly any occasion where someone had so blatantly protected him.
He'd been thinking about it since it happened, coming back to his apartment to sit quietly. He was unable to conjure up his usual energy, drifting in a haze as he replayed the situation over and over again in his mind. He wanted to brush it off like he did everything else, but how could?
The shadow who watched him didn't speak, but the blonde one did crouch down so they could be eye level. Naruto flinched back slightly, staring at him nervously. He felt an uncomfortable tension fill his chest.
This man looked a lot, lot like him. They had the same yellow hair, and their eyes were the same too. So was their skin color, and parts of their face. It was like him, but big. Were they actually related? For... For real?
Naruto couldn't help but feel a little hopeful at the thought of family. He dreamed about it endlessly, his mind wandering to it during class. What it would be like to go home to a mom and dad who loved him. To eat a hot meal that wasn't made in a microwave, and be read to sleep, and helped with his homework.
Today, he hadn't been able to stop himself from daydreaming about what it would be like to have a dad like the blond man. Imagined that maybe he hadn't been lying when he'd called him his son, and let warmth fill his chest despite knowing better. Now Naruto felt... unsure. Maybe a bit scared.
He hadn't expected to ever see the blonde stranger again. He'd expected him to forever remain nameless, a figment to be used in Naruto's pathetic fantasies of a normal life where he was loved. Only now he was here, and he had no idea if that was a good or bad thing.
"What do you want?" He tried to sound strong, but his voice came out shaky. He did his best to hold back a pout. The man gave a weak chuckle, his lips upturning sadly. Naruto wondered why he looked so upset. He'd seen people get mad at him before. They got disgusted, and enraged, and annoyed, but not... solemn. Not like this.
"Hey, Naruto." The man's voice was impossibly soft and kind. Naruto flinched back, eyes going wide. No one ever spoke to him like that before. In that tone, and looked at him with those eyes, free of hostility. Jiji was nice, but there was always something in his eyes that made Naruto feel like he should leave as soon as possible. He took a small step back. "I know you don't know me, but my name is Minato Namikaze, and this is my friend Kakashi. I picked you up earlier. Do you remember?"
Naruto gave a quiet nod, and Minato beamed at him in a way that made Naruto feel like he was worth something.
A wave of adoration washed over the blonde kage, sudden and overwhelming as he gazed at his son. He and Kushina had created this. This adorable, squishy little boy with the biggest, bluest eyes and cutest little face. And his hands were so tiny, and he was just... Minato loved him.
He wanted to sit down and talk to him for hours and hours, and find out everything there was to know about him. He wanted to cuddle him, and buy him anything he wanted for his bedroom, and teach him how to hold his first kunai. Tuck him in and cook him food and take him off to festivals and the playground. Minato could practically feel his chest about to burst with the elation the mere sight of Naruto brought him.
"I'm glad! I'm sorry if I scared you earlier." Minato said as cheerfully as he could manage. "You know, you and I look a lot alike. We both have really yellow hair."
"A-And blue eyes." Naruto blurted out, his hands coming to clap over his mouth soon after. Minato almost melted at the sound of his voice, smiling so hard it hurt.
He blinked his tears back. Kakashi wiped at his eye, glancing away for a moment to collect himself. He almost couldn't handle this. Naruto deserved this. Kakashi was so, so glad his sensei was back. He remembered being so upset they'd never recovered a body. To think that would turn into such a blessing.
"And blue eyes," Minato agreed with a chuckle. He tilted his head. "There's a reason for that, but I have to tell you something first. Is that okay?"
Naruto nodded adamantly, opening his door completely with curious eyes. He got the distinct sense that this man meant no harm. How could he possibly be dangerous if he was with his shadow? He seemed kind, looking at him with a gaze Naruto had always yearned for.
His voice was so nice, and soft, and Naruto just wanted to curl up in a ball and go to sleep listening to it. It sounded like what safety felt like. Naruto didn't know this man. He didn't want to let his guard down so fast, but he almost couldn't help himself as the man smiled at him so openly.
No one had ever done that to him. Even when they tried to trick him, you could always see it in their eyes that they were lying. This man's eyes just looked gooey and fond.
"Six years ago I got really, really hurt. I almost died." Minato admitted. Naruto nodded, blinking. Minato gave a beaming smile. This was an abridged version of events, but attempting to explain something even Minato didn't understand to a six year old didn't seem like a great idea. "I actually just woke up today. And when I did, I ran to the village as fast as I could to look for someone!"
Naruto's eyes went wide. He moved to grip the hem of his shirt nervously, eyeing Minato with renewed suspicion. The man scooted forward just slightly. Naruto watched him with a surprising amount of openness. Like he was just waiting for Minato to be trustworthy, and hoping despite having been hurt so many times.
It was astonishing to see. Minato could see himself mirrored in Naruto. It was like seeing his reflection in a rippled pond. Not exact, but there nonetheless. It made his heart soar. This was his son. This was Naruto. It seemed like only yesterday-- literally-- that he was excitedly anticipating his arrival.
"I had a little boy right before I got hurt and went to sleep. I named him Naruto." Minato admitted in a tone so quiet you almost couldn't hear it.
Kakashi nodded as though to back him up. Minato's smile turned sad without him meaning it to, watching a variety of emotions flit across his son's face. He'd tried to phrase it as softly and simply as he could, but it sounded unbelievable even in his ears. Naruto didn't move, his mind catching up to Minato's words.
You could practically see the cogs turning in his little head. Minato waited patiently for him to process, keeping his body language honest and open. A door down the hall opened, but Minato didn't so much as move, or even glimpse away from his son. Kakashi shot a glare at the prying eyes, defensive enough to ward them away.
Naruto swallowed, staring at the man. He looked very nice, like a dad might. Sakura-chan said that parents were supposed to take care of you no matter what, and love you, and give you hugs and kisses whenever you needed. He had seen other parents with their kids.
Naruto had thought he hadn't had that, or that he never would, rather. But what if... what if Minato was telling the truth, and he was his dad? Naruto wanted to believe it more than anything. It was just... It was hard to. No one had ever wanted him before!
But if this guy really had gotten hurt, and couldn't come get Naruto... it... it made sense that he'd come as soon as he woke up. It wasn't his fault he couldn't come if he'd gotten that injured, right? Then... Then maybe he did still want Naruto?
Even though he was big now, and the caretakers at the orphanage had told him that parents only wanted babies. Maybe Naruto could...
He took a small step forward. Minato perked up, smiling hopefully at the boy, trying to convey with every fiber of being just how badly he wanted this. He knew this was out of the blue, and a little awkward, and not official in the least. Minato simply couldn't wait anymore. He couldn't!
It had been six years too long, and he wasn't going to waste another second getting his son what he needed. He refused to stand around hoping the elders truly believed he was back and allowed him to see his little boy. Back from the dead or not, he was Hokage. He could do whatever the hell he wanted.
"I...I-I have a dad? You..." Naruto's voice came out a lot smaller than he'd wanted it to, cracking pathetically halfway through. He flinched at the sound of it, taking a small step back. Minato nodded readily, beaming at him.
Naruto couldn't believe it. He had a dad? Like, a real family? He had always wanted a family. Jiji was the closest thing he had to one, and the shadow too.
If shadow was here, maybe they could all be a family together. Maybe it wasn't too good to be true. Even though Naruto was hated and a monster-- not a normal child by any means-- maybe...
He wanted to cry. He couldn't stop tears from welling in his eyes. If this was a joke, it was a really, really mean one.
"I'm sorry I was gone so long, Naruto. I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you." Minato breathed. "But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. I won't let anyone hurt you, and I won't leave you alone. I promise. If you just give me a chance, I promise. I love you more than anything else in the entire world. The day your mother told me you were going to be born was the happiest day of my entire life. I know you don't know me yet, but if you would give me a chance, I--"
Minato didn't get to finish. Naruto moved with speed that put him to shame, launching himself at his father with a loud wail that rattled the apartment's windows with its volume. Minato caught him readily, standing up quickly with his son in his arms and holding him close.
Naruto wrapped around him like a koala around a tree, burying his face in the man's shoulder as he sobbed, hugging him tight and not caring whether or not this was a lie. Even if it was, he was going to enjoy it was much as he could. Even if he didn't really mean it and left, Naruto didn't care.
No one had ever said they loved him before. Not once. No one promised to protect him, o-or said they were happy he was born. So no, he didn't care if this was being made up. If this was a dream, he didn't care if he was going to wake up!
To feel this even for a second... it was worth it. He wanted a family. He just wanted a family to take care of him, because he was tired. He was so alone, and he hated it. He was tired of being hungry and cold, and living in this place, with all its drunks and angry neighbors.
Minato squeezed his eyes closed, holding Naruto firmly. His shoulders relaxed for the first time all day, and he smiled. No one was going to touch Naruto ever again. Not on his watch.
He tugged Kakashi into the hug too, of course. The copy-cat nin didn't dare pull away.