The World Was All Before Him
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Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male › Naruto/Sasuke
Rating:
Adult
Chapters:
13
Views:
2,937
Reviews:
153
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Currently Reading:
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Category:
Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male › Naruto/Sasuke
Rating:
Adult
Chapters:
13
Views:
2,937
Reviews:
153
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Act II, Scene II
The World Was All Before Him
- SuishouTenshi
Act II, Scene II: Take Now Thy Son, Thine Only Son
Since he was the First and Second’s prized student, Sarutobi was old enough to remember the very beginning of Konohakagure’s establishment, and to his knowledge, no one had ever attempted before to turn the Hokage office, one of the most sacred — and by all rights, revered — areas in the entire country, into a nursery.
The simple presence of a bright orange wooden crib the size of a twin-size bed challenged the office’s pathetic attempt to remain austere. And the young Hokage himself, a man of respect by his allies and terror to his enemies, never looked less of a warrior with a gurgling infant bouncing on his thigh. A firm left arm which had laid down numerous men’s lives cradled Naruto’s flailing body with a gentleness that would have surprised many while the right hand dug through a pile of scrolls that could only be labeled as “an absolute mess”.
“Lost something?”
Blond locks shook in neat waves. “Just Naruto’s pacifier.”
Sandaime bit down on the mouthpiece of his pipe and tried to hold back his smirk. “Naruto-kun doesn’t seem to be fussing.”
“Only because I picked him up. He was trying to cry down the Hokage Mountain just moments before.”
“Well, we can’t have that. We’ve only just managed to finish sculpturing your face.”
Yondaime cried out triumphantly as the fiery red pacifier was fished out from the hazardous pile. He gave it to Naruto and the boy sucked on it with vigor.
“I always thought it kind of gaudy and pretentious. Maybe my boy agrees with me. So Sarutobi-sama, what brings you here today?”
“The report that our esteemed Yondaime returned to office the very afternoon he was released from the hospital.” Sandaime walked over to the crib and tapped it with this pipe. “I see you’ve already made both you and Naruto-kun at home.”
Yondaime grinned one of his less seen happy-go-lucky grins that made him look years younger. The unabashed show of teeth was both alarming and contagious. “One of the quirks of being Hokage — all of your subordinates are speedy ninja who are willing to do your every bidding at a moment’s notice.”
Sarutobi let his expression fade back into one of stern authority. “Minato-kun, what are you doing here?”
Yondaime shifted Naruto and shrugged. The Hokage robe rustled on his back. “It’s my office now, Sarutobi-sama, and this is all my responsibility. You’ve done your job; it’s not fair to drop this burden on you once again.”
“First of all, taking care of Konoha is never a ‘burden’, and secondly, it’s foolish of you to be out of bed so soon. Your internal organs are still healing and your chakra preserve is...”
“Absolutely fine. Kage Bushin no Jutsu!”
Sarutobi could only sigh as the small office was suddenly filled with shadow clones of the Yondaime and baby Naruto. Unbelievable, even at his current health, not only did he create so many shadow clones, he also shape-shifted half of them to fit Naruto’s image.
A roomful of blonds smirked at him. “All right! All right! Just... don’t push yourself too hard. I’ll return the Hokage seat back to you now.” Sarutobi glowered worriedly at the young man — too young — and made a move to leave.
“Sarutobi-sama?”
“Hm? Yes, my boy?”
Yondaime deftly retrieved a thick-wound scroll from the pile and handed it over to him. “My report,” he said, “it is six months late, but I think I have a good excuse for the delay.”
Sandaime shook his head in his well-used fatherly manner. “I’ve already seen the markings on Naruto-kun’s stomach. Besides, you are the Hokage, you need not report to anyone.”
“Yes, I do.” The cheeky grin was replaced by the sternness of a leader (and now, a father). “Not to you, Sarutobi-sama, but to those who risked their lives for this village, and to their families.”
Sarutobi looked between the scroll and the babe still curled up in Yondaime’s other arm. He breathed in deeply. “Don’t. They will hate him. Or worse, they will love him as your son and hate him all the more as the Kyuubi’s vessel.”
Yondaime looked down on Naruto, who had fallen into a carefree slumber, unaware that his life was on the verge of tilting over before it could begin.
“He will be strong. And he will understand. He’s my son, and he will love this village with all his heart. I know it.”
“One last chance, Minato-kun. Do you really want to publicly release the secrets of how you sealed the Kyuubi?”
Yondaime nodded. “They deserve to know. After all, many of the dead gave their souls for the exchange. By all rights, I should be dead right now.”
“An exchange of souls, eh?” Sandaime sighed, just now realizing how resolute their young leader was in his wish to save the village. And he knew then there would be no use arguing with Yondaime, particularly since he seemed to be suffering from a clear case of survivor’s guilt.
“All right, but I have my own demands.”
“Certainly, Sarutobi-sama.”
“I want you to make a decree that the information within this scroll, once released, shall never be repeated by anyone again.” At the troubled look on Yondaime’s face, he continued, “I know it’s a horrible feeling, this authority to take away their freedom of speech. But it is for Naruto-kun’s sake.”
Yondaime finally conceded.
Sarutobi took the scroll and walked out with heavy steps. When he was near the door, he thought he heard Yondaime murmur, “You’ll be all right, won’t you, Naru-chan? You already have two Hokage on your side.”
***
Yondaime was finally able to relax at home in peace after a late night’s work. He sank into the couch and closed his eyes for a brief nap. There was only so much time he had before a hyperactive baby woke up.
His plan for a peaceful rest was suddenly and unapologetically disturbed by an intrusion into the chakra shield he set up around the mansion’s grounds. Yondaime sighed and hoped that no one was crazy enough to come all this way to the edge of the village or stupid enough to enter without first knocking on the front gates. He didn’t want to explain to the village heads why another newspaper salesman was found unconscious on his front door again.
The window to his kitchen opened and Yondaime smiled. Kakashi’s weird penchant for entering through anything but doors was oddly endearing.
“Welcome back,” said the Hokage with his eyes still closed. “Can’t the report wait until tomorrow? I’m beat.”
“Mission was successful, no casualties. I’m fine too. Thank you for caring.”
Yondaime chuckled. Kakashi was clearly stressed.
“Sensei?”
“Yes?”
“Why did you do it?”
“Do what?” For once, he was genuinely confused.
“The first thing anyone said to me when I came back was that the Kyuubi is not dead, only sealed in Naruto, and the information is never to be repeated a second time.”
“Are you surprised? Such a monster is difficult to kill. Sealing it was the only...”
“No, I don’t mean that. I took care of Naruto for six months, I know about the seal. What I don’t understand is, sensei, how you can put your son in such a position.”
Yondaime finally opened his eyes and sat up. He beckoned Kakashi, whom was still covered from head to toe in dirt and bloody splotches, closer to him. Kakashi went to stand before him, shoulders stiff, and Yondaime reached up to pat his head in a condescending gesture that he knew annoyed Kakashi to no end.
“You know why,” he chided gently. “And if you’ll put aside the emotions that grew in you from the time you spent with Naruto, you’ll be able to see the reason clearly as well.”
Odd-eyes looked upon him with reverence and a secret plead. He loved to look at Kakashi’s eyes — no, Kakashi’s and Obito’s eyes — for they shone with more respect and love than he could ever deserve.
Kakashi was still not pleased, however. “But you have the power, you could have concealed it. It’s over. All they needed to know was that Kyuubi is gone. Everything else is unnecessary. Naruto might hate you for this.”
“And how does a leader go about separating necessity, obligation, and personal desires? You’re an Anbu captain. Tell me, Kakashi, as a leader, how would you have handled this?”
Yondaime kept himself from flinching. Forcing Kakashi of all people to consider obligation over personal emotions was most insensitive, and when the young shinobi’s eyes clouded over, Yondaime nearly apologized.
“I understand. Permission to return home, Hokage-sama.”
This time, Yondaime actually did flinch. But Kakashi was resolute and usually not so forgiving. So Yondaime merely nodded and allowed his student to escape through the window.
The older Namikaze sighed heavily and slouched against the back of his couch. He’d be lucky if Kakashi deigned to speak to him as something other than a subordinate after a month, for the very least.
But for now, he would nap, and have dreams about children that never fussed and students that never threw silent temper tantrums.
In the bedroom, Naruto woke and began to cry.
- TBC
A/N: Chapter title comes from Genesis 22:2. And yes, I quoted the bible in a yaoi story... I’m still waiting for the smiting to happen.
Answer to some questions:
I actually don't know how old Yondaime is, because that info was never released. But if you count backwards, when Naruto's born, Jiraiya is 38 and Kakashi is 14, so I'm gonna take the middle road and say Yondaime is currently somewhere around 26 or 27.
Baby Sasuke's coming in the next chapter, but I'm very tired now... currently running on 29 hours w/o sleep, so I'm going to catch some snooze and update when I'm actually feeling alive.
Have I mentioned yet how much I liked reading your comments?
- SuishouTenshi
Act II, Scene II: Take Now Thy Son, Thine Only Son
Since he was the First and Second’s prized student, Sarutobi was old enough to remember the very beginning of Konohakagure’s establishment, and to his knowledge, no one had ever attempted before to turn the Hokage office, one of the most sacred — and by all rights, revered — areas in the entire country, into a nursery.
The simple presence of a bright orange wooden crib the size of a twin-size bed challenged the office’s pathetic attempt to remain austere. And the young Hokage himself, a man of respect by his allies and terror to his enemies, never looked less of a warrior with a gurgling infant bouncing on his thigh. A firm left arm which had laid down numerous men’s lives cradled Naruto’s flailing body with a gentleness that would have surprised many while the right hand dug through a pile of scrolls that could only be labeled as “an absolute mess”.
“Lost something?”
Blond locks shook in neat waves. “Just Naruto’s pacifier.”
Sandaime bit down on the mouthpiece of his pipe and tried to hold back his smirk. “Naruto-kun doesn’t seem to be fussing.”
“Only because I picked him up. He was trying to cry down the Hokage Mountain just moments before.”
“Well, we can’t have that. We’ve only just managed to finish sculpturing your face.”
Yondaime cried out triumphantly as the fiery red pacifier was fished out from the hazardous pile. He gave it to Naruto and the boy sucked on it with vigor.
“I always thought it kind of gaudy and pretentious. Maybe my boy agrees with me. So Sarutobi-sama, what brings you here today?”
“The report that our esteemed Yondaime returned to office the very afternoon he was released from the hospital.” Sandaime walked over to the crib and tapped it with this pipe. “I see you’ve already made both you and Naruto-kun at home.”
Yondaime grinned one of his less seen happy-go-lucky grins that made him look years younger. The unabashed show of teeth was both alarming and contagious. “One of the quirks of being Hokage — all of your subordinates are speedy ninja who are willing to do your every bidding at a moment’s notice.”
Sarutobi let his expression fade back into one of stern authority. “Minato-kun, what are you doing here?”
Yondaime shifted Naruto and shrugged. The Hokage robe rustled on his back. “It’s my office now, Sarutobi-sama, and this is all my responsibility. You’ve done your job; it’s not fair to drop this burden on you once again.”
“First of all, taking care of Konoha is never a ‘burden’, and secondly, it’s foolish of you to be out of bed so soon. Your internal organs are still healing and your chakra preserve is...”
“Absolutely fine. Kage Bushin no Jutsu!”
Sarutobi could only sigh as the small office was suddenly filled with shadow clones of the Yondaime and baby Naruto. Unbelievable, even at his current health, not only did he create so many shadow clones, he also shape-shifted half of them to fit Naruto’s image.
A roomful of blonds smirked at him. “All right! All right! Just... don’t push yourself too hard. I’ll return the Hokage seat back to you now.” Sarutobi glowered worriedly at the young man — too young — and made a move to leave.
“Sarutobi-sama?”
“Hm? Yes, my boy?”
Yondaime deftly retrieved a thick-wound scroll from the pile and handed it over to him. “My report,” he said, “it is six months late, but I think I have a good excuse for the delay.”
Sandaime shook his head in his well-used fatherly manner. “I’ve already seen the markings on Naruto-kun’s stomach. Besides, you are the Hokage, you need not report to anyone.”
“Yes, I do.” The cheeky grin was replaced by the sternness of a leader (and now, a father). “Not to you, Sarutobi-sama, but to those who risked their lives for this village, and to their families.”
Sarutobi looked between the scroll and the babe still curled up in Yondaime’s other arm. He breathed in deeply. “Don’t. They will hate him. Or worse, they will love him as your son and hate him all the more as the Kyuubi’s vessel.”
Yondaime looked down on Naruto, who had fallen into a carefree slumber, unaware that his life was on the verge of tilting over before it could begin.
“He will be strong. And he will understand. He’s my son, and he will love this village with all his heart. I know it.”
“One last chance, Minato-kun. Do you really want to publicly release the secrets of how you sealed the Kyuubi?”
Yondaime nodded. “They deserve to know. After all, many of the dead gave their souls for the exchange. By all rights, I should be dead right now.”
“An exchange of souls, eh?” Sandaime sighed, just now realizing how resolute their young leader was in his wish to save the village. And he knew then there would be no use arguing with Yondaime, particularly since he seemed to be suffering from a clear case of survivor’s guilt.
“All right, but I have my own demands.”
“Certainly, Sarutobi-sama.”
“I want you to make a decree that the information within this scroll, once released, shall never be repeated by anyone again.” At the troubled look on Yondaime’s face, he continued, “I know it’s a horrible feeling, this authority to take away their freedom of speech. But it is for Naruto-kun’s sake.”
Yondaime finally conceded.
Sarutobi took the scroll and walked out with heavy steps. When he was near the door, he thought he heard Yondaime murmur, “You’ll be all right, won’t you, Naru-chan? You already have two Hokage on your side.”
Yondaime was finally able to relax at home in peace after a late night’s work. He sank into the couch and closed his eyes for a brief nap. There was only so much time he had before a hyperactive baby woke up.
His plan for a peaceful rest was suddenly and unapologetically disturbed by an intrusion into the chakra shield he set up around the mansion’s grounds. Yondaime sighed and hoped that no one was crazy enough to come all this way to the edge of the village or stupid enough to enter without first knocking on the front gates. He didn’t want to explain to the village heads why another newspaper salesman was found unconscious on his front door again.
The window to his kitchen opened and Yondaime smiled. Kakashi’s weird penchant for entering through anything but doors was oddly endearing.
“Welcome back,” said the Hokage with his eyes still closed. “Can’t the report wait until tomorrow? I’m beat.”
“Mission was successful, no casualties. I’m fine too. Thank you for caring.”
Yondaime chuckled. Kakashi was clearly stressed.
“Sensei?”
“Yes?”
“Why did you do it?”
“Do what?” For once, he was genuinely confused.
“The first thing anyone said to me when I came back was that the Kyuubi is not dead, only sealed in Naruto, and the information is never to be repeated a second time.”
“Are you surprised? Such a monster is difficult to kill. Sealing it was the only...”
“No, I don’t mean that. I took care of Naruto for six months, I know about the seal. What I don’t understand is, sensei, how you can put your son in such a position.”
Yondaime finally opened his eyes and sat up. He beckoned Kakashi, whom was still covered from head to toe in dirt and bloody splotches, closer to him. Kakashi went to stand before him, shoulders stiff, and Yondaime reached up to pat his head in a condescending gesture that he knew annoyed Kakashi to no end.
“You know why,” he chided gently. “And if you’ll put aside the emotions that grew in you from the time you spent with Naruto, you’ll be able to see the reason clearly as well.”
Odd-eyes looked upon him with reverence and a secret plead. He loved to look at Kakashi’s eyes — no, Kakashi’s and Obito’s eyes — for they shone with more respect and love than he could ever deserve.
Kakashi was still not pleased, however. “But you have the power, you could have concealed it. It’s over. All they needed to know was that Kyuubi is gone. Everything else is unnecessary. Naruto might hate you for this.”
“And how does a leader go about separating necessity, obligation, and personal desires? You’re an Anbu captain. Tell me, Kakashi, as a leader, how would you have handled this?”
Yondaime kept himself from flinching. Forcing Kakashi of all people to consider obligation over personal emotions was most insensitive, and when the young shinobi’s eyes clouded over, Yondaime nearly apologized.
“I understand. Permission to return home, Hokage-sama.”
This time, Yondaime actually did flinch. But Kakashi was resolute and usually not so forgiving. So Yondaime merely nodded and allowed his student to escape through the window.
The older Namikaze sighed heavily and slouched against the back of his couch. He’d be lucky if Kakashi deigned to speak to him as something other than a subordinate after a month, for the very least.
But for now, he would nap, and have dreams about children that never fussed and students that never threw silent temper tantrums.
In the bedroom, Naruto woke and began to cry.
- TBC
A/N: Chapter title comes from Genesis 22:2. And yes, I quoted the bible in a yaoi story... I’m still waiting for the smiting to happen.
Answer to some questions:
I actually don't know how old Yondaime is, because that info was never released. But if you count backwards, when Naruto's born, Jiraiya is 38 and Kakashi is 14, so I'm gonna take the middle road and say Yondaime is currently somewhere around 26 or 27.
Baby Sasuke's coming in the next chapter, but I'm very tired now... currently running on 29 hours w/o sleep, so I'm going to catch some snooze and update when I'm actually feeling alive.
Have I mentioned yet how much I liked reading your comments?