Minato’s eyes went wide and for a long moment he simply froze. While he’d heard his son, very good at this point when it came to understanding his son’s mumbles thanks to being an early morning riser when his son wasn’t, he still caught himself waiting. As if, somehow, the words out of his son’s mouth would change meaning if he only waited long enough.
…they didn’t.
The slow trickle in of thoughts started, increasing as the meaning behind the words hit home. ‘I’m gonna be a mother, y’know’ ‘I’m going to be a father’ ‘wife and son didn’t survive… baby born early…’ a five year old’s wide eyed grin of absolute triumph. A twelve year old’s determination to become stronger. His son’s hopes and dreams for his future. The vague notion he’d had of watching his son get married so much further down the road. …Minato’s mouth felt dry and his chest ached. Too young. His son was too young. And the girl -
“Who?” it came out in an exhale.
Naruto watched through his fingers as his father’s face registered the words said.
“Sakura-chan,” His best friend, the person that was always there through everything. Their relationship wasn’t really a public one, she was usually too busy with all of her clubs and extracurriculars that they only really hung out on the weekends. It didn’t take long for things to pick up, they’d known each other for so long it felt natural. But Naruto never thought that it would go so far.
The word, this time spoken clear, hung in the air just as before. His fingers began to fidget in anticipation, Naruto wasn’t used to this much silence.
