Minato loved Wednesdays. Every other Wendsday, given he had no missions, he got the day off to do whatever he wanted. Today Minato wanted to sleep. The blankets where heavy and warm and absolute heaven, he wanted to stay there all day and not move once. Yes, that sounded nice. Minato smiled and snuggled further into the bed's warmth much like a child would. He dully noted that the only thing that could possibly make him more content at that moment would be of his beautiful wife Kushina was beside him, but she was away on mission at the moment so he was all alone in the large bed.
Minato was just on the edge of sleep when a loud knocking rang through his apartment. He startled from his serene stupor. Had he imagined it? No, he decided when it came again only a few moments later. Minato briefly considered ignoring the person until they went away, but he knew couldn't do that. What if it was Kakashi who had been coming by more and more lately? Or Rin who had just started a new training regimen with Naruto and Lady Tsunade of all people? What if something urgent happened and Minato was desperately needed in the Hokage's office?
A third set of knocks rang in Minato's ear pushing him regretfully out of the cream coloured sheets. Passing through the kitchen on his way Minato mournfully noted it was only nine thirty in the morning. Way too early.
His internal monologue of mumbled profanities halted when the one on the other side was someone he most definitely hadn't considered would ever visit.
"Uh, Naruto, what a surprise." Minato greeted. A small flower of happiness bloomed in his chest. His son actually sought him out. He wasn't avoiding him anymore. Minato smiled.
Naruto grinned back, but it was hesitant and a little unsure. "Hey Minato," he responded. He hadn't taken to calling Minato 'dad', not wanting to make the other man uncomfortable or feeling that just because he was technically Naruto's father that he was obligated to act like it. "I actually wanted your help on something I've been working on for awhile." He looked pointedly at his hands that were holding several notebooks and a horrifying amount of loose papers along with a paper bag balanced precariously in top of it all. The way he said it made it clear that it was simply a request and one Minato could turn down if he wanted. Like Minato would ever do that though, really.
"Yeah of course, come in." Minato said coolly, but inside he practically squealing he was so pleased. Naruto wanted his help! Progress.
Naruto nodded gratefully and stepped thorough the door. He immediately went the kitchen table and dumped all the books and papers carefully on the surface. "Ah, do you mind?" he asked. Minato shook his head and watched fascinated as he immediately began organizing the books and various stacks of paper around the edges of the table and took out a large map and spread it out in the center along with a smaller one that he laid off the side.
"I'll go make some tea." Minato offered. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
Naruto smiled. "I bought breakfast on the way." he said gesturing to the paper bag. "I hope you like ramen and rice balls."
"Mhm." Minato mumbled with a smirk. Kushina.
Fifteen minutes later the two were all set with tea and ramen and rice balls. "So, what did you need my help with?" Minato asked, breaking the trivial conversation they had been immersed in.
Naruto frowned unpleasantly and set his bowl that he had been eagerly devouring aside, half finished. His open expression turned serious as he sighed. "I think it's about time we locate Obito. Rin and Kakashi will go on a mission in about a month or two and that's when it will happen." he didn't have to elaborate. Naruto had told Minato all about Rin getting kidnapped and her ultimate death. Suddenly he wasn't so hungry either.
"Right." Minato said eyes immediately going to the maps where he noticed for the first time, the markings drawn across them. "So how do we go about this?"
Naruto launched into a detailed description of what he knew and what he had been doing so far in his search. "Kakashi used to keep journals. After his death," Naruto choked on the word, clearing his throat before continuing. "I was able to read a few before they were destroyed when Konoha. . . well obviously I don't have them here but I wrote down what I remember from them." he gestured to the books. "Unfortunately Kakashi himself never actually knew the location of the cave. In fact he didn't even know it ever existed until nearly two decades later when he found out Obito had never actually died. I did get a good look into Obito's head in my time so I've been able to narrow the location down to the mountains between the Waterfall village and the Sound village, in the Land of Iron -"
Minato interrupted. "Sound village?" he asked, confused. He was well versed in the ninja villages and that one wasn't a thing.
Naruto furrowed his brows in realization. "Oh yeah. That one doesn't exist yet does it? Well it'll be in the Land if Rice Patties.
"Anyways," he rushed to continue before Minato could ask anymore questions. "In that mountain range somewhere I believe. Though I don't know exactly where."
Minato sipped at his tea as he looked over the maps. One was a map of the Land of fire with a small red circle encompassing an area of about a hundred square miles. The circle was ominously labeled 'massacre'. The other map was of the mountain range Naruto had mentioned. There were quite a number coloured circles littered around the southern part of the range facing the boarder of the Fire nation. Some of them - the ones that he had ruled out - were crossed off with a line dividing them into two shapes instead of one. A small legend that was drawn on a post it and stuck to the map's top left corner showed that the lighter colours (the pastel greens and yellows) were ones that were less likely - though still plausible - to be the area of the cave. The darker colours (the deep blues and purples) were the most likely, these circles were the ones closest to the base of the mountains on the south side.
Minato looked closely, memorizing the locations carefully. It only took him around ten to fifteen minutes before he could recite the coordinates of all the circles by heart. "It seems you have this part well thought out. What do you need my help with then exactly?" Minato inquired, sending Naruto a quick glance out of the corner of his eye.
Naruto sifted and bit his lip, agitated, though not by Minato. "Well further narrowing down the location for one. These are all rough estimates, I have only ever been though this mountain pass once and I had been too preoccupied with other matters to really commit much to memory." Naruto explained, referring to a time that felt like a million ages ago, when Sasuke had kidnapped Killer B and the Raikage had issued a death warrant for him.
"But if I recall correctly, you have done numerous reconnaissance missions through these mountains."
Minato was surprised that he knew that. Most of those missions were classified.
"The nations released a lot of the mission records after the war was resolved. A show of good faith." Naruto said after he asked. "I learned about most of your parts in the war while I was in the academy. We had an entire unit on you, analyzing your tactics and stratigies. I think it was one of the only times I had ever actually paid attention in class." despite the humor of it all, Naruto didn't seem to find the energy to draw out a laugh while anxiety clawed at his stomach causing it to do near painful loopty-loops.
Minato found it strange to think that one day his life would be poured over by young ninjas. That his son would one day suffer through lessons talking about the strategies he had used in this war that if all goes well, he would never see.
Minato nodded in understanding and spared Naruto from more questions about his childhood that he obviously preferred not to talk about. He instead pointed out the pros and cons of different areas on the mountains. Like how that one was rarely used because the slopes were so dangerous, but not a lot of animals passed by so not much food if you were planning an extended stay. Or that this area had a good water supply, but the cave walls were brittle and prone to collapse. After an hour or two of discussion, both Naruto and Minato agreed that the cave they were looking for was most likely underground with a stream feeding into it. With Minato's knowledge of the area, they were able eliminate almost two-thirds of the circles as well as adding a few more in dark ones. Then they started talking strategy. Both Naruto and Minato were very practiced in this area. Their expertise lead to some stuborness and they would have brief disagreements about certain things, but was usually resolved rather quickly.
All disputes aside, they were able to plan out a good line of action that they both agreed on.
"Thank you Minato." Naruto said. It was well into the afternoon hours and was approving evening. The sun was dipping low on the horizon, dusk brought earlier by the rapidly approaching autumn.
Minato smiled warmly at his son. "Anytime."