"Naruto!" Kushina Uzumaki called from the kitchen, wearing an orange t-shirt and green pants with a white apron that had an orange swirl on the front of it. "You get down here right now and eat your vegetables or so help me!"
Silence was her answer as a sigh erupted from her mouth, a small smirk on her face.
"He must've gone to see Minato and his team, what a troublesome boy." She said, shaking her head, throwing the vegetables in the trash as she crossed her arms. "But now what am I supposed to do?"
"Ew Naruto quit drooling on me!" Obito Uchiha yelled as he held Naruto at a distance, the three-and-a-half-year-old grinning.
"But it's funny!" He squeaked out.
"Sensei," Kakashi began, crossing his arms. "I don't understand why you brought your son with you, we're supposed to be training." He complained, rolling his eyes at the sight of the blonde messing with the Uchiha.
"He snuck out of the house, Kushina's supposed to be watching him!" Minato responded, rubbing the back of his head in an embarrassed manner.
"I don't care what any of you think!" Rin stated; her chin in the air before grabbing Naruto from Obito and grinning, sparkles in her eyes. "Because Naruto is just the cutest little thing ever!" Naruto grinned before wiggling out of her grasp and falling to the ground, landing on his feet as he sprinted towards Kakashi and jumped into the air, wanting to land on the grey-haired shinobi, only for Kakashi to expertly dodge the child.
"Sensei, he's gross, don't let him touch me," Kakashi said in a serious tone.
"Naruto is not gross!" Obito said, defending the three-year-old. "All he does is drool!"
"Exactly, gross. He reminds me of you, or you remind me of him. Either way is fine." Obito fumed as he began arguing with Kakashi, the two slinging insults back and forth like nobody's business.
Naruto just watched the two bicker before turning around and looking at his father, who watched his students fight each other with an amused smile on his face.
"Mommy is going to be mad?" Naruto asked. Minato nodded.
"Mommy is going to be really mad," Minato confirmed.
"Yeah, Naru-chan, you shouldn't sneak away from me!" A voice came from the behind the miniature blonde. The said blonde froze as he turned around to see his mother, a wicked grin on her face as she peered down at her son.
"Oh," Was all Naruto could get out before he jumped away from his mother, the woman chasing him as he circled around trees, dodging his mother left and right before hiding behind Obito, who took a hit to the head from Kushina.
"Owie owie owie owie!" He whined over and over again as he rubbed his head. "Why'd you hit me you old hag?!"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING AN OLD HAG?!" Kushina screamed in return, getting in Obito's face. Lightning sparked between their foreheads while Naruto thought how that was possible.
It was funny.
"I'm calling you an old hag you old hag! Your cheeks are already sagging!" Minato, Rin, Kakashi, and Naruto both took several steps away from the two.
"That's it!" Eight chains sprouted from Kushina's back as they wrapped around Obito, holding the Uchiha upside down.
The rest of them began laughing at Obito's dilemma as he tried to escape the chains.
Everything was good.
"Lemme hit you!" Naruto shouted as he chased Obito with a stick, the three-year-old grinning like a madman as the Uchiha ran away from him, a few red lashes already on his face.
"You already did Naruto!" He shouted as he ran behind Rin, ducking under her. "Help me Rin-chan!" Rin sighed as he met Naruto's sky blue eyes, her hazel colored eyes meeting his own.
"Can you stop hitting Obito, Naruto? It's not nice." She patted him on the head, smiling at him. "You should always protect someone, not hurt." Naruto formed an O with his mouth and nodded vigorously.
"Sorry, Obi-nii!" Naruto cried out as he hugged the teen's legs, making Obito blush as his eyes widened considerably, internally screaming.
"Rin-chan?" He asked in a worried tone, patting the blonde on the head. "What do I do?" Rin scoffed.
"As if I know, he never hugs me and here he is hugging you because he feels bad," Naruto perked up at her words and hugged Rin's legs too, causing Rin to gush over the toddler.
"I love you, Rin-nee, Obi-nii!" He exclaimed. Rin and Obito both went red to the face but smiled warmly at the boy that had embraced them.
"We love you too, Naruto."
One Year Later
Naruto didn't understand. Why didn't Obito or Rin come to the house anymore for dinner? Why didn't Kakashi? Why did his dad seem upset a lot of the time, and his mom always sad?
Ever since he heard his dad talk about a place called The Kanabi Bridge, his dad had been sad. Then, a few months later, he seemed even sadder.
Did something happen? He shook his head. He'd figure that out later.
He had a better job at the moment, and that was to bother Kakashi.
His father was the new Hokage, making him a lot more busy than usual, giving him less time to spend with Naruto. But Kushina was always there, playing with Naruto whenever the blonde was bored, reading him books and teaching him some basic shinobi skills, like holding a kunai correctly and how to jump from branch to branch.
He hadn't learned any chakra techniques yet, his mother saying that they would go over that another time.
Naruto stealthily followed Kakashi, who was walking down the dark streets of Konoha, weaving in and out of the alleyways before he followed him into an open space where a large rock with several lines were written on them.
He stood a distance away from Kakashi, who was wearing what Naruto recognized as Anbu gear, the people who guarded his father since he was the Hokage. He watched as Kakashi looked at the stone before Kakashi looked at Naruto, his one visible eye meeting Naruto's blue.
"Come here, Naruto." Naruto froze at being spotted but ran towards the grey-haired teen, jumping on the teen's shoulders, but Kakashi didn't speak, he just looked back at the stone.
"Hiya Kakashi," Naruto greeted. "Sorry for following you, I just wanted to scare you." Kakashi nodded.
"I understand, Naruto." Naruto peered over Kakashi's grey hair and rose an eyebrow.
"What're those names on that thingy?"
"Heroes. Those are all of the heroes Konoha has ever had." Kakashi said as he felt his throat clench up, finding it hard to talk.
"Really? I want to be on that one day!" Naruto shouted happily. "Look, Rin and Obito's names are there!" Pointing at the two names of the people he adored.
"Naruto," Kakashi began. "This is a grave for those heroes." Naruto froze as he suddenly jumped off of Kakashi's shoulders as he looked wide-eyed at the Anbu.
"What do you mean?!" He shouted, tears threatening to spill out of his eyes.
"Naruto," Kakashi began with tears crawling down his face. "Rin and Obito are dead."
"No, this isn't true." Naruto cried, taking a few steps back. "It can't be true, you're lying!"
"I'm sorry," Kakashi said as he stepped forward and grabbed Naruto and hugged him, clenching the boy as if he were his lifeline. "I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kakashi kept repeating over and over as tears wetted Naruto's shoulder, his own tears falling out of his eyes.
Obito and Rin were dead? But why? Why would they die? How could they die? Wasn't his dad strong enough? What happened? What could've happened to them that was bad enough to kill them both? Why?
"Kakashi-nii," Naruto spoke as he grasped Kakashi, holding him close as tears flew out of his eyes. "Why did they have to die?"
"I-I don't know, I don't know," Kakashi replied as the two cried, unknowingly deepening their bonds with one another.
Two Years Later
"Itachi," Naruto called as he poked the slightly younger boy in the stomach, crying in the background. "Your little brother is crying again," Itachi looked up at Naruto, then at the backroom where Sasuke was supposed to be sleeping in his crib.
"I see, okay." Itachi stood up and disappeared from the room and into another room, the crying stopped. Naruto rose an eyebrow as he watched Itachi walk out wearing a white sling with baby Sasuke in the said sling, now quiet as he looked at his older brother.
"You look funny wearing that," The six-year-old said as he looked at Itachi, who was just five-years-old at that moment.
"You will wear it in just a few days," Mikoto Uchiha, Itachi's mother, chided lightly. "Your baby sister is just about to be born." Naruto nodded.
"I know, I know," He looked back at Itachi and snickered. "It's still funny though," Mikoto shook her head at the boy before going back into the kitchen, cooking dinner. Fugaku Uchiha walked into the room, his eyes narrowed at Naruto who met Fugaku's gaze, not unnerved in the slightest.
"Itachi," Fugaku began, his gaze never leaving Naruto. "Who is stronger, you or Minato's brat?"
"He is stronger than me at the moment. But I'm quickly catching up," Fugaku closed his eyes and nodded.
"Good," He opened his eyes and his Sharingan was active. "Would you like to spar against me, Naruto?" Naruto tilted his head.
"What's the point of fighting when the war is over?" Naruto asked in a confused manner.
"What's the point in training to become a ninja if the war is over?" Fugaku countered easily. Naruto's eyes widened before nodding, standing up.
"You got me there, Fugaku-san." He stretched his limbs. "I'd be happy to spar against someone of your strength, my mother does the same tricks over and over again." Fugaku and Naruto walked outside to the back of the house, where the backyard held a tiny training grounds of some sort.
Fugaku walked to the other side, standing still as he looked at Naruto, who adopted his father's style and was ready, his blue eyes meeting Fugaku's coal-black.
"Come at me when you're ready, do not hold back, do you understand?" Naruto nodded as he took a kunai out of his pouch, the blade being razor-sharp before he threw it at Fugaku, making a few hand seals.
"Kunai Shadow Clones!" The single kunai turned into ten as they hurled towards Fugaku, who's eyebrow shifted up as he dodged the kunai's, his Sharingan keeping track of every single kunai that passed him.
Despite being an Elite Jounin, Fugaku knew he had to be cautious.
This was Minato Namikaze's child after all.
After the kunai hit the tree behind him, Naruto rushed Fugaku, his little legs carrying him quickly to his target. Naruto jumped into the air, flipping slightly as he brandished two more kunai and hurled them at Fugaku at a higher speed than the last one.
Fugaku took his kunai out and deflected the two easily, before holding his forearm up to block an axe kick from Naruto, who twisted mid-air as planted his two hands on the ground and pushing up, flipping over Fugaku and landing behind the man before placing a kunai at the man's back.
"Do you surrender?"
"Impressive," Fugaku commented as he clapped his hands two times, emerging from behind the tree as the Fugaku in front of Naruto disappeared from view. "You passed my Genjutsu, not many Genin can do that."
"I'm not a Genin," Naruto complained. "So don't compare them to me yet," Fugaku had to fight a smirk that was forming on his lips. For some reason, he felt pride bubbling up in his chest, but why? Perhaps he was happy Itachi's best friend was a prodigy like himself?
"Alright, but when you do reach Genin, I want another spar." Naruto nodded.
"Count on it," Mikoto then called from the kitchen.
"Dinners ready!" Naruto's blue eyes lit up as he felt the saliva already pooling in his mouth. He's had Mikoto's cooking before, and not that he would ever say it aloud, but her cooking was much better than his mother's.
"Coming!" He shouted as he ran towards the house. Fugaku let out a grunt of approval before he looked at Itachi, who was playing with Sasuke.
"You've grown closer to him," He commented. Itachi nodded.
"Yes, I love him very much," Itachi responded. Fugaku let a small smile slip upon his face, patting Itachi on the shoulder.
"And he seems to love you just as much," Fugaku said as Sasuke grabbed at Itachi's finger. Itachi smiled warmly at his little brother. "Come in, Sasuke needs to eat, and so do you." Itachi nodded as he followed his father inside.
Itachi, Naruto, and Fugaku sat at the table, eating their food as Mikoto breastfed Sasuke in the other room.
"So Naruto, Itachi is enlisting in the Academy this winter, do you plan on joining as well?" Naruto nodded.
"Yes, mother and father have finally decided to let me go in early. I could've gone last year, but father wanted me to wait another year for some reason. Probably so I wouldn't get stronger than him so quickly!" Naruto said with a grin.
"Ah, is that your goal? To be stronger than your father?" Naruto shook his head, causing Fugaku to tilt his head in slight confusion.
"No, I want to be stronger than my father, but that's just a smaller accomplishment that'll happen on my way to my real goal." He closed his eyes and grinned. "I want to be strong enough so that no one will ever have to fight again, I want to achieve world peace."
"That's quite the dream," Fugaku said in awe. "You'd have to be pretty strong to do that." Naruto nodded as ate another riceball.
"I know, that's why I'm starting early!" Then, the ground began shaking, the air turning dark and horrid, an overwhelming pressure on everyone at once, suffocating them as they had trouble standing up.
"What is this?!" Itachi shouted as he heard Sasuke crying from the other room. A large and loud roar tore through the air, shaking the buildings of Konoha. Fugaku's eyes widened.
"Oh god no," He looked at Itachi. "You go get your mother and get to the evacuation center right now!" Itachi nodded without hesitation and rushed into the room, carrying Sasuke in his arms as his mother followed closely behind, giving Fugaku a look that spoke everything she was thinking.
"It's going to be okay, Minato will take care of this," Fugaku shifted his eyes to Naruto, who was paralyzed with fear, his eyes widened. "Naruto!" He barked, causing the Namikaze to shake his and look at Fugaku, the Uchiha Clan head pointing at the door.
"As a future ninja of Konoha, you have the responsibility to take care of her people, go spread the word to get into the evacuation center as soon as possible to anyone that you see!" Naruto nodded before running out the door.
Fugaku ran towards the door and saw the giant Nine-Tailed Fox slowly destroying the village, fires already spreading rapidly throughout the village.
'Please hurry, Minato, Kushina!' He thought before going and directing everyone to the evacuation center.
With Naruto
"Go to the evacuation center!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs to the startled and fearful citizens of Konoha. He kept repeating that over and over as he saw a Chunin sprinting towards the fox, slightly younger than Kakashi. He jumped in front of her.
"You can't go over there!" He shouted, blocking her way.
"I'm a Chunin of Konoha brat! I need to help!" Naruto shook his head.
"No, I've been given orders to tell everyone to head to the evacuation center!"
"On whose authority?!" She shouted.
"Mine," Minato Namikaze said from behind Naruto, shocking the teen in front of him.
"Hokage-sama?" She said in a whisper. "But why?"
"There's no time to talk," Minato said as he bent down to meet Naruto's eyes, his tear-stained cheeks visible to the teen. "Naruto, I need your help, can you brave?" Naruto's eyes widened.
"Is my little sister okay? Or mother? Are they okay?" Minato grimaced at the mention of his sister and Naruto's eyes widened, being able to pick up on it. Minato turned to the Chunin.
"Chunin Yuhi, I order you to gather everyone below Jounin level and get them to the evacuation facility, can you do this?" Kurenai Yuhi saluted. "Of course, Hokage-sama!"
Another explosion ripped through the air before a pair of Sharingan eyes were in the Kyuubi's eyes. Minato cursed as stood up all the way.
"Naruto, I want you to run as fast as you can towards the Kyuubi, fight your fear. I have to fight the person who's behind this! By the time you get there, we'll be ready!" With that, Minato disappeared in a yellow flash.
"Father?!" Naruto shouted as he began running, ignoring everyone around him as he only saw the Nine-Tailed Fox destroy everything in its path.
He saw a line, where Kakashi and Asuma Sarutobi were arguing with an older Jounin.
"You have to let us help!"
"No, you are part of the younger generation, you need to be alive to teach the next generation the Will of Fire!" He shouted, several other Jounin barring the two from entering the fight. Naruto ran up to Kakashi, tugging at his Anbu pants, making Kakashi look at Naruto with shock.
"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Naruto began speaking in hysterics.
"Dad said he, he came in a flash and said he needed my help! He said run, or sprint or run as fast as I could to the fox," Everyone's eyes widened with the realization of what Minato was planning. A tear flew down Kakashi's mask as he connected his forehead with Naruto's own.
"You need to be brave, Naruto! Be brave for everyone in the village!" Naruto nodded as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.
"I can be brave! I can be brave!" He repeated to himself as he turned to the Fox, the killing intent coming off the creature in waves. Naruto steeled himself, his chakra flaring slightly as he glared at the beast.
"I don't know why my dad needs my help to beat you!" The Sharingan in the Kyuubi's eyes disappeared as they were blood red with black slits going down its eyes. "But I won't let anyone down, I'll beat you, you dumb fox!" As if hearing the boy's words, the Fox met Naruto's opposing eyes and let out a roar, shaking the air.
"Naruto. . ." Kakashi whispered in awe. Here were grown men peeing their pants from fear, and here this boy was ready to fight the beast head-on! Then, to everyone's surprise, two golden chains erupted from Naruto's back. "Chakra chains? Is it a Kekkei Genkai from Kushina?" Kakashi spoke.
"Clear the way for the boy!" Asuma shouted. "Hokage-sama needs him to defeat the beast!" Everyone cleared a path for Naruto, who began running down the path as he locked eyes the Tailed-Beast.
"I will beat you!" Naruto cried as he sent his two chains towards the beast, relying completely on his instinct. The two chains wrapped around the beast's leg. Noticing this, the Kyuubi pulled his leg back, yanking Naruto forward at incredible speeds.
Naruto landed roughly on the ground, his chakra chains receding into his back as he huffed and puffed, catching his breath as adrenaline rushed through his system. He was right in front of the Kyuubi now, the beast still looking down at him.
"They threaten me with a child? I'll squash you like a bug!" The Kyuubi spoke, lifting one of his paws and ready to crush Naruto where he stood. Naruto closed his eyes, awaiting his death before he heard a familiar voice.
"You still away from my son!" Kushina Uzumaki screamed at the top of her lungs as her chakra chains wrapped around the Kyuubi, holding him in place. Minato landed beside Naruto, a brush dipped in ink in his right hand.
"Take off your shirt, Naruto!" Naruto obeyed instantly, ripping off his shirt as he felt the wet brush paint on his stomach. Minato met Naruto's eyes, sadness filled them, exploding with emotion. "I'm sorry, Naruto, but I believe you can master this power you are about to receive, may you use it well," Minato said with a sad smile.
Minato clasped his hands together, making a single hand seal as a burst of chakra exploded from his body, blue surrounding him and Naruto as he placed a hand on Naruto's painted stomach before he murmured something that Naruto didn't hear quite well.
"Minato, hurry!" Kushina shouted as she clenched her teeth, sweat dripping off of her body as she strained against the beast that once resided inside of her.
"Forgive me!" Minato shouted before a pain erupted in Naruto's stomach, causing him to let out a scream of pure pain and agony as he felt a fire erupting in his stomach.
"No! I will not be sealed again!" The Kyuubi shouted as he broke free from Kushina's chains and went to slice Naruto to bits as the boy writhed on the ground in pain, his claw ready to pierce the blonde.
"No!" Kushina and Minato shouted at once, Kushina barely wrapping her chains around the Kyuubi before the claw pierced both Minato and Kushina in their stomachs, the claw mere inches away from Naruto's face, whose eyes were closed shut due to the pain.
The Kyuubi glowed a bright white before he was suddenly sucked away into the tattoo that was now on Naruto's stomach, now sealed within Naruto forever. With that, the pain in Naruto's body disappeared instantly as he opened his eyes, panting hard as his entire body was drenched in sweat.
"Mother, father?" He whispered as he saw the collapsed version of his parents, both being right next to each other, a pool of blood surrounding them. Naruto, wide-eyed, walked up to his parents, his mother being deathly still and his father's chest barely moving.
"Father! Mother!" He shouted as he got on his knees, not caring if their blood got on him at all. He shook his mother, but she didn't respond. Tears flowed from Naruto's eyes as he tried to get his mother to wake up in vain. "Mom! Please wake up! Mom! Mom! Mom!"
"N-Naruto," Minato called weakly. Naruto looked at his father, who had blood seeping from his mouth and circles around his eyes, blood covering his Hokage robe. "Please, be happy. Be kind, do to others unto what they do to you, live." Minato grinned at his son.
"We love you so much, but, don't be sad. We won't be able to see you grow into the fine man I know you'll become, but that's okay. You'll be happy, I know that for a fact. Just be happy. Just. . . don't cry. Just," Minato paused as he closed his eyes.
"Just smile." And with those final words, the Fourth Hokage passed away. Naruto's eyes widened as they burned, his sky blue eyes turning into a crimson red as a thin circle was surrounding his pupil, a tomoe on each line.
"F-F-Father?" He whispered as tears filled his eyes as he looked into the night sky, tears flowing down his face as his mouth shakily turned into a small smile. "I-I'll smile, I'll smile for you, I'll smile for b-both of you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi rushed through the scene, thoroughly disgusted. Someone had attacked, that much was evident when he saw a slashed throat of a baby that he deducted was Minato's and Kushina's new daughter, who hadn't been alive for more than ten minutes before dying at the hands of an unknown man.
He saw the Kyuubi turn into a bright light before disappearing into a bright light, confirming his fears, yet relieving him slightly.
The Kyuubi had been sealed, but within what, or the better question, who? He, along with several Anbu along with Kakashi, saw Naruto Namikaze hovering over the bodies of his dead parents.
Kakashi froze at the sight of his surrogate father and mother's dead bodies, anguish filling his system. Naruto heard them approach and turned around, his Sharingan active as a shaky smile was on his face, tears streaming down his face.
"Kakashi-nii," Naruto spoke, standing up. "I'm going to smile through the pain. Is that okay?" Kakashi walked up to Naruto, his whole body shaking. When he got to Naruto, his body could no longer hold his weight as he fell to his knees and embraced Naruto, tears flowing down his face freely, weeping for the loss of his surrogate parents.
"Father told me not to be sad, and to be happy. That's why I'm smiling, you should smile too, Kakashi-nii," Kakashi didn't speak, he only held Naruto closer.
"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay," Kakashi repeated over and over into Naruto's ear. Tears no longer flowed down Naruto's cheek, just a sad smile on his face.
"It's okay, Kakashi-nii," He whispered back before Kakashi just broke down, wailing, the comforter turning into the comforted. The child patted the teen's back.
"How does the Fourth Hokage's son have the Sharingan? Neither Kushina-sama nor Hokage-sama had the Sharingan?" Hiruzen sighed sadly.
"Minato's side I'm afraid, his great grandfather was an Uchiha, but after not keeping the bloodline straight as many Uchiha do, his grandfather married a woman and produced a daughter, who married and produced Minato before giving him up at an orphanage. I thought that Minato not having a Sharingan was a sign that the bloodline in his family was completely gone, but it seems I was wrong."
"To have the Sharingan at such a young age," An Anbu spoke. "Such a burden." Hiruzen nodded.
"Until we find a suitable candidate to replace Minato, I will be the acting Hokage. Everything Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki owned will be given directly to Naruto, but separate everything in half and put most of his money in savings, I will give him portions of his money until he turns eighteen, then he can seize his full funds by then." An Anbu nodded before disappearing in a blur.
Kakashi, who was done weeping, stood up and walked up to Hiruzen.
"I would like to take custody of Naruto Namikaze," Hiruzen shook his head.
"I'm afraid that is up to Naruto, Kakashi." Kakashi's eye widened, but he nodded, looking down at Naruto.
"Would you like to live with me, Naruto?" Naruto shook his head.
"No, I don't want to be a burden or anything. Besides, I can take care of myself, I know how to cook, clean, shop, and everything else!" Naruto said happily, grinning as if his parent's dead bodies were not right behind him. "But if I need help, I'll ask ya right away!" Hiruzen nodded.
"There you have it, Kakashi." He looked over at Naruto. "You are entering the Academy this winter, correct?" Naruto nodded. "Good, I will be looking forward to you becoming a shinobi." He held out his hand, which Naruto graciously grabbed as the two began leaving the scene.
"So, what's your goal as a shinobi, Naruto?" Hiruzen began, wanting to observe the boy. Naruto explained his dream, and the steps it would take to achieve such a feat, causing Hiruzen to chuckle lightly.
"Well, I have no doubt you'll succeed." They walked into the Hokage's Office, something Naruto became familiar with over the years of visiting his father in the office. "But, it'll be quite sometime before that can happen."
"I know, but I'll make it happen! By the time I'm your age, the world will be at peace and I'll be resting comfortably!" Hiruzen nodded, enjoying the idea of resting at his old age.
"Yes, I have no doubt you will." His eyes then got serious, the tone in the room shifting. "Naruto, if you ever need my help with anything, just ask. I know you would like to be alone right now, but if you need company or anything, just ask." Naruto grinned.
"Thanks, Gramps, I'll keep that in mind!" He turned around and walked to the door, only to stop as he gripped the handle. "Gramps?" Hiruzen perked up.
"Yes, Naruto?"
"Is it okay if I help the village rebuild?" Hiruzen smiled warmly at the boy.
"Of course, everyone would greatly appreciate the extra help." Naruto nodded.
"Good, cause I don't wanna be told to buzz off cause I'm only six," And with that, the boy left. Hiruzen suddenly slouched on his chair, a tear falling down his face.
"Damn it all," He shouted, slamming his fist on the table. "Biwako, Minato, Kushina, I let you all down." He had lost his wife, his successor, and a good friend all in one night, plus everyone else who died. "I will make this right, I will make sure that boy is taken care of if it's the last thing I do."
He looked up at the picture of Minato.
"I promise,"
Naruto walked through the village, making a beeline home, wanting nothing more than just to sleep. He heard the whispers going through the village.
"That poor boy, both his father and mother in one night. I heard he saw them die."
"Why is he smiling? It's kinda weird,"
"Shhh, he just lost his parents. Be respectful!"
"Naruto," He heard Itachi's voice ring out. He looked around and saw Itachi looking at him with Sasuke wrapped up and in his arms, the white sling still on Itachi. "Are you okay?" Naruto nodded.
"I'm fine, I'm just smiling." He replied easily. "Father told me to smile, so I'm going to smile." Itachi nodded in confusion, but didn't question it.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Naruto thanked Itachi, ready to leave again but Itachi spoke. "You can stay with us, mother wouldn't mind taking care of your sister." Naruto maintained his smile as he looked at Itachi.
"She died, Itachi." Itachi's eyes widened in horror at how nonchalantly Naruto said this. "But it's okay, she lives on in my heart, and that's all that matters."
"Naruto, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Naruto stressed, grinning as if Itachi were dumb. "I'm just tired and I wanna go to sleep," Itachi nodded carefully.
"Well, sleep well, Naruto." Naruto thanked Itachi before running again. Itachi then reported everything he heard to his mother and father.
"That's awful," Mikoto cried out, tears falling down her eyes at Itachi's story. "He must be hurting so bad," Fugaku even struggled to keep a straight face, his throat clenched.
His best friend died, his best friend's wife died, and his best friend's daughter died. Only leaving their son behind.
Life was truly cruel.
"His father told him to keep smiling, and knowing Naruto, he will do just that until he dies," Fugaku spoke. "What a foolish request from a dead man," And foolish it was.
"Don't speak ill of the dead, especially after Minato's and Kushina's sacrifice!" Fugaku nodded.
"I meant no respect, but to place not one large burden, but two large burdens on one so young, it can only have negative results."
Naruto slept that night, turning and shifting, memories entering his dreams and exiting them just as quickly, a small smile on his face as he slept.
He would smile through this pain.
He would smile through everything.
And done. How was it? Good? Bad? Tell mee!
Anyways, new story! Yay!
This is going to be better than the Third Hatake, I'm calling it now! I just have to take my time and play this all out the way I want it to.
I'm going to try and update it twice a week, maybe more. But work and school might get in the way, but I'll try my best!
I hope I made it sad, but it'll get better.
I hope.
Anyways YE
Til next time my lil demons!