Third person pov
Scheduling Naruto an appointment with one of the Yamanaka clan's best counselors didn't take long. He'd expected his son to act differently after their conversation, but he was just the same as always. A ball of seemingly boundless energy, all smiles and bright eyes. Minato couldn't stop his sugary fondness from seeping out of him, despite the inner turmoil their chat had sparked. The realization of just how much his son had been depraved of sparked ungodly rage in him.
Maybe he should talk to someone too. Having this much pent up resentment towards the village and people you preside over probably wasn't healthy, right? Minato wanted to be the best possible dad for Naruto, that was all. He clearly wasn't meeting the mark. Naruto didn't even... just thinking about it made Minato want to cry, really. His own son, not realizing he was loved, and that he was going to get to stay in their home together. Minato felt sick. His own son had thought it was all temporary. And Minato hadn't even realized!
He hadn't wanted to go to work today. If Minato could've had it his way, he'd be at home, coloring at the table with Naruto. His son deserved all of his time and then some. Minato'd missed six crucial years of Naruto's life and he didn't intend on missing another minute more if it could be helped. Had Naruto been put off kilter by their talk the day prior, he wouldn't have hesitated to sequester them into the house, not to be disturbed.
It was only through Naruto's optimistic resilience and insistence that 'I have to go to school so I can learn and become a super cool ninja like you, believe it!' that got Minato to walk him to the Academy. It felt like sending him off to war instead of just to school. He'd wanted to chase after him, wrap him in a big hug, and cry until they both felt better.
"The Kazekage wants to meet?" Minato struggled to keep his voice from rising in pitch Kakashi snorted quietly behind his mask, earning himself a sharp look from the Suna representative who'd traveled to confirm Minato's revival. News of his return hadn't stayed confined in the Leaf for long. Word had leeched past the gates in no time at all, spreading from the mouths of excited shinobi, travelers, and merchants alike. It made sense that their ally would wish to confer with him, but that didn't make it any less of an inconvenient time. "Like, now?"
"Yes, Lord Hokage. He requests an audience with you as soon as you are able. There are... tensions within the Sand Village that prevent him from leaving for long periods of time. He sends his utmost apologies, but implores you to consider a brief voyage so he can see you with his own eyes and further discuss the future of the treaty between our villages." The ambassador said levelly. Minato had to admit that he was great at his job. Which was awesome for Suna, but sucked for him considering the guy's attempts to sway him were sort of working.
Did they also have an ambassador somewhere? Minato should probably find out about that. It's not his fault he's been too distracted by Danzo's meddling and Naruto's cuteness to contact other villages! It had been the last thing on his mind, what with the domestic terrorism and fact that his quote-on-quote "beloved" village had been verbally, physically, and psychologically abusing his son in his absence.
"Right, yes. Of course. Do you happen to know... why he can't voyage here? I would love to reacquaint myself with Lord Rasa as soon as possible, but you must understand that the Leaf is still adjusting to my return. I've only just come back, and there's a lot for me to catch up on." Minato gave his best smile and tried to keep his speech somewhat formal, wondering how Naruto's day was going. He hoped his son was having a fun day at school. He wondered if he'd bring home another drawing for him to frame. Such a little artist. He got it from Kushina, Minato was pretty certain.
"Ah. I'm not entirely sure the reason, but it is a matter of... civilian security." The ambassador said, looking like he'd just sucked a lemon. Which was a pretty clear sign to Minato that this guy knew exactly what was going on over there. It had to be serious if the Kazekage wasn't willing to leave, which was a blaring red flag in Minato's expert opinion. "In fact, that is another reason the Kazekage wished to meet with you. He was hoping you might be privy to the location of one of your past associates, the Sannin and Seal Master, Jiraiya. His and your expertise would be... appreciated."
Minato stared and resisted the urge to make a face, a sinking feeling dropping into the pit of his stomach. It was common knowledge that Suna had the One Tailed Beast, just as it was common knowledge that Konoha had the Nine Tails, Kumo the Eight Tails, and so on and so forth. There was a certain balance in it. However, Konoha had known that Suna's tailed beast wasn't in a human vessel. For as long as Minato'd been Kage, it had been in a teapot. Or that's what he'd heard until rumors that they'd removed it and sealed it in a baby leaked out.
He'd been a bit too caught up in running the village and trying to start a family with Kushina to put much stock in them at the time. They'd only been whispers, but six years was a long time to be gone, and there was no telling what could've happened in that period. What if they had sealed it in a baby? What if they hadn't done a very good job? The mere thought was enough to make Minato's chest tighten. That could be bad news for not just Suna, but for Konoha too. If the One Tails got out and started to wreak havoc... it was no wonder the Kazekage was unwilling to leave. It's not as though he could bring the issue here without potentially starting some kind of war.
"Ah." Minato sniffed a bit, tone a tad flat. The ambassador visibly cringed. "Right, well. As luck would have it, Jiraiya is currently in the village. I will... talk with him."
Nothing-- yes, literally nothing-- appealed to him less than the thought of having to talk to Jiraiya again right now. The betrayal still stung sourly in the back of his throat. The rage simmered at a lower temperature after his breakdown, but it was still there. Naruto had gone through too much. Jiraiya was supposed to love and protect him. To watch out for him!
He hadn't even tried as far as Minato could tell, but he also knew that they were the only two seal masters around anymore. Unless another had popped up sometime in the past half dozen years. Considering the Kazekage was asking after them specifically, he doubted it. Minato could already feel his headache forming. This smelt like a bad situation. He had a gut feeling and those were seldom ever wrong, unfortunately.
"Thank you." The ambassador gave one of those smiles you give when you want to be literally anywhere else, offering one last bow before turning to flee the sight of the bomb he'd just dropped. Minato settled back into his chair in a slump, turning to look heavenwards in search of strength. He found none, as per usual.
Silence reigned, save for the buzzing of the lights overhead. Minato had the sudden urge to smash them, his mind ruminating over what he'd learned. Six years ago was like yesterday to him, and he raked over what he recalled hearing about Suna's situation with a fine toothed comb. Tensions with them had been on the rise when Minato passed. Not because Suna was doing anything in particular, but rather for their lack of doing. The village had suddenly closed ranks, sealing their gates off and refusing to communicate.
It was only those vague murmurs that leaked out. About how they'd made an attempt to move the monster from its kettle and into a human infant. Minato couldn't imagine willingly putting a tailed beast in a baby. With Naruto, he'd had no choice. It was something he would regret eternally. If he thought he could safely move the tailed beast into himself and out of his son, he'd do it in a heartbeat.
"Dammit." Minato dragged his hands down his face. What was he going to do? He definitely had to go check it out-- they were allies and if his theories were correct, hundreds of Suna villagers were in danger. The Land of Fire was as well, being their neighbor and all. Plus, what if the Bijuu escaped and one of their enemies got it? "Dammit. Ugh. Kakashi, go find Jiraiya and bring him here. He's either by a hot spring or at a bar crying."
"You got it." Kakashi hummed idly, vanishing without so much as a puff of smoke. Minato had to distinct urge to go destroy some more shit but didn't want to risk demolishing another unsuspecting villager's garden. He wondered if Fugaku would let him have a go at one of the older, more dilapidated Uchiha homes. They could blame that one on Danzo too.
He was too busy loving Naruto and framing Danzo for this! He didn't have time to go... go potentially re-seal demons in children. He'd done that once and it was like, not a good thing. Worst thing he's pretty sure he's ever done, actually. But still, at least he'd done a good job at it. Naruto was a perfectly happy child with no demonic tendencies whatsoever that he could tell. He'd know if his son were-- he didn't know. Going out in fits of psychopathy and killing defenseless little animals or something. Minato could, at least, take solace in that.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"I once killed a rabbit with my bare hands and then cooked it over a fire I made in a rusty metal can when I was super hungry once." Naruto recalled happily, once again attempting to get his foot to balance on the top of the piss water. "I had to use my teeth to tear the fur away and stuff because I didn't have a knife. That was right after the orphanage kicked me out. It was like, super cold out and I hadn't eaten in three days. Nobody was throwing anything out because of the ice. It sucked. I even cooked the guts. The heart was super squishy."
"You are horrifying." Kurama noted with no inflection, looking down at him with disdain in his eyes. Naruto nodded in agreement. He'd been absolutely covered in blood. Someone had seen him the next morning and a rumor that he'd killed someone and dropped their body in the icy river had persisted for a solid two months following. "Why didn't you go to your foolish kage, pest? Your barbaric actions sound dramatic and wholly unnecessary. Of course, one such as myself revels in bloodshed, but your kind is... disgustingly sympathetic and squeamish. Too weak to do anything that could be considered useful."
"I'd never met him before he gave me my apartment. I thought he'd throw me out." Naruto admitted with a slight shrug. His foot caught on the surface of the water, and he put as much pressure as he could down. His eyes lit up when it didn't immediately splash through, instead sinking only slightly. He glanced back up at Kurama, grinning. "Out of the village, I mean. Everyone was calling me a demon so I sort of just thought he'd think the same if he ever found out I existed. I think he knew about me the whole time, though. I'm really lucky he was nice enough to give me a place to stay."
Kurama made a face. Naruto's not sure what kind of face it is, since he's got a rat face and those aren't as expressive as you'd think, but it looked pretty judgmental if you asked him. Naruto wondered where he found the audacity. He was the one living in a cage in a giant puddle of pee. He'd been here how many years now? Clearly a lot if there was this much. The only mercy in this situation was that Naruto's nose had adjusted to the stench.
Kurama was an odd companion to have, but not a bad one. Even though he was most likely completely fake, Naruto still found himself content with their new friendship. Even if it was one-sided so far, he was sure he could get Kurama to come around eventually! Having someone to confide in who couldn't actively make his life suck was the best. If he tried to talk to his dad, what if he got in trouble for complaining? He didn't want to seem ungrateful.
"Right. You are truly pathetic, runt." Kurama grunted, settling his head back down onto his arms and watching as Naruto shakily tried to pop his other foot up onto the water too. He immediately fell through, stumbling and barely managing to find his center of balance before he was sent toppling into the waste below. Naruto pinwheeled his arms, heart thundering. Yeah, falling flat on his back in this stuff was not on his to-do list. Kurama snorted, hot breath ruffling his clothing and hair distastefully.
"You're the one living in a cage in a puddle of pee." Naruto recited not for the first time, patting at his hair haughtily. He wanted to be friends with Kurama and show him how loved he was, but he had to be roundabout with it. And that meant working slowly, patiently, and methodically. Kurama would never accept it if he saw it coming! Naruto had to sneak it in gradually, which meant business as usual until he warmed up to him a bit more.
He wondered if he could ask this counselor guy he was having to go talk to about how to befriend Kurama. He'd have to pretend Kurama was a human, lest the shrink declare him insane for having an imaginary friend that was a giant rat in a cage surrounded by literal sewage. Therapists were apparently very helpful when it came to getting advice according to Kashi and the doggies, who had told him it would all be okay. His appointment was after the academy tomorrow, and his dad would be taking him. Naruto was apprehensive but too afraid to really say no.
"It's not-- dammit. You're so fucking annoying." Kurama spat vulgarly, suddenly looking rather enraged. Naruto raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him as more orange began to leak out. Kurama bared his teeth, and Naruto's brows climbed higher when the orange pointedly receded. He squinted. Was it... possible to suck it back in? This felt like a biological anomaly. "This filth is not from me, you idiot. This is your mindscape. A reflection of your opinion of yourself, your emotional state of being, and mental condition."
Naruto looked around. The words sounded smart and smart things were generally true, but Naruto really didn't feel like a giant, endless puddle of pee and boundless darkness that extended out in all directions. He was actually quite happy most days. Sure, this place sort of echoed his longing and loneliness, but come on. He didn't think he was like... he didn't know! He liked himself fine. Sometimes. Most of the time?
Naruto squinted, trying to draw parallels. Admittedly, he did still feel like an outcast. He felt like less because he was less. The villagers all treated him as such, why would he not believe them? Again, if enough people said it, there had to be at least some stock in it. He loved his dad and appreciated him trying reassure Naruto, but the opinions of the many outweighed the few. Still, he wouldn't say that translated into a horizon of pee. He'd have thought it more like... he wasn't sure. Fire and agony? Or something? Anything other than pee.
"Um. That sounds not real at all." Naruto decided after a moment, frowning. Kurama groaned, loud and rumbling in a way that sent ripples through said urine in question. Naruto pressed his lips into a thin line and tried not to cringe. Literally so gross. Pee? Him? And cold pee, no less, which was somehow worse than warm pee.
Yeah, no. His mental state was probably more of a 'walls, floors, and ceilings made out of stained, ugly Persian rugs that were tattered and covered in old blood and spilled food'. Or something. Or maybe a fork that had been left perpetually in a really powerful blender, forever getting knocked around and dinged up by the unrelenting blades. Something more creative than darkness and pee, thank you very much.
"Impudent runt." Kurama hissed out, though he didn't violently explode in his anger like he might've when they first met. Instead he just gave a harsh scoff, looking supremely irritated. Naruto praised the higher powers that there was no piss this time. Again, how had he sucked it back in before? Did his work like a straw or something? "I should've known you'd be too moronic to accept my words as the truth, as per usual. It's no surprise. Your ability to deny what's right in front of you is infuriating."
"Yeah, yeah. You're supremely smart and I will never reach your level of supreme intelligence, ever, in my short, measly little worm life." Naruto placated with an eye roll. His foot splashed through the water again. He growled a little, giving a petulant stomp. Defeat always tasted worse after a breakthrough. He'd gotten it to kind of stick before! "Dammit! Why can't I get this to work? I've been working on it for like, ever!"
"Because you aren't using enough chakra, you moron." Kurama snapped back at him. Naruto paused for a moment, slowly looking up at him. Kurama glared at him with narrowed eyes, his red irises seeming to nearly glow. Naruto glanced down-- no pee to be seen. Could he seriously have controlled that this whole time and just hadn't? Shameless and nasty. Naruto should've known. "You have just as much, if not more, than your pathetic mother did at this age! Use it and stop whining!"
"You know how chakra works?" Naruto was a little surprised, honestly. He probably should've guessed, what with Kurama being a gigantic, talking rat and all. Kurama was great at explaining things. If he knew how to stand on water-- or pee, in this case-- there was no way he wouldn't be able to explain it to Naruto. It was just a matter of actually getting him to do so, if he wasn't bluffing. Which was also sort of super possible.
"I am made of chakra. Which I've told you. Several times." Kurama's words seethed out through gritted teeth as though they hurt to say. Naruto stared blankly at him for a moment. What was he talking a-- oh, the whole 'I'm the nine-tailed fox thing'. Was he really still running with that? Naruto wasn't going to comment. "I know more than you or any of your pathetic human companions will ever know in your lives collectively."
Naruto stared at him even more. He wasn't sure if Kurama was lying or not, honestly. He was a pretty prideful guy. But what if he was telling the truth? He could totally help Naruto then! But not if Naruto asked for help. Kurama would never 'lower' himself to that standard. Naruto was going to have to approach this from behind, much like the whole matter of friendship in general. This could be a really good chance for them to bond! And for Naruto to learn!
"...No way." Naruto schooled his expression into a suspicious side eye, resisting the urge to grin. "Prove it."
Kurama's nostrils flared. Naruto knew, in that moment, that he'd won.
~
The next chapter is out on Patreon, as always! More chapters coming to early access within the next few days because I'm fr about to go on a writing binge with this. Featuring Minato hating Jiraiya, Kurama being a better teacher than he probably should be, Naruto's first therapy appointment, and Minato having a breakdown over the reality of Naruto's brain being a sewer
A sneak peek:
"My name is Ayumu Yamanaka. If you decide you don't mind, I'm going to be your counselor going forward." The man introduced with a (seemingly, but who knows these days) kind smile, hair pulled up into a tight bun and eyes just as pale as Ino's were. Naruto eyed him warily from where he was sat across from the guy, dwarfed by the plush armchair. "Your father thought you could benefit from meetings with me. Do you know why?"
"Because I'm traumatized and my brain looks like a sewer." Naruto said dutifully, because that's exactly why he's here. Ayumu blinked at him, evidently not having expected this level of self awareness from a six year old. Surprise, surprise. Most six year old boys don't have oddly philosophical and bitter piss rats living in their heads. "Don't worry. I figured out what love was days ago."