The Healing

I don’t own Naruto



The Healing



Chapter Four



The ride home from Minato and Naruto’s house was tense between the three Uchihas. Neither son spoke to their father nor did Fugaku push the matter. He wasn’t sure what to say as it was, forcing Sasuke or Itachi to talk might not be wise, especially after the way he’d treated his sons recently.



The color had thankfully faded slightly from Sasuke’s face. The sight of the slight redness and bruising on his son’s face left Fugaku with a bitter taste in his mouth. He’d never thought himself able to hit someone he loved.



Pulling into his drive was a welcome distraction and the uncomfortable silence was broken by the sound of crunching snow under the wheels. Cold air brought shivers to all in the short trip up the walkway. Sasuke huddled close to Itachi, casting wary looks at his father. All three went inside to without a word.



Itachi took Sasuke into the kitchen and soon the scent of warm tea filled the air. Fugaku stood in the shadow of the doorway, remembering how once upon a time the room was filled with the scents of home baked cookies and breads. As chauvinistic as it sounded, the kitchen was always Mikoto’s domain. She crafted amazing creations with seemingly little effort. It had never bothered her to take over that part of their daily lives and Fugaku had welcomed it. Without Mikoto, the room seemed almost barren of life. It was clean, almost sterile without her presence to make it homey. It hurt seeing the emptiness. It hurt knowing her tinkling laughter would no longer be heard rebounding on the walls.



Though he was loath to do so with the hurt still beating at him like a hammer on a nail, the three of them needed to talk. Minato was right on several levels. He was drowning in his grief and taking his sons down with him. The deserved better than what he was giving them.



“We should talk,” he uttered upon reluctantly stepping into the kitchen.



Both boys turned their gazes on him, their faces holding only grief and wariness. Neither objected, which could be good or bad depending on the situation. The pain in their eyes tore at his being, making his pain over Mikoto‘s loss all the more painful. The fallout from Mikoto’s death was tearing them all apart. She was the glue holding them together for so long and now with her gone, the cohesiveness was fading.



“Sasuke…I…shouldn’t have hit you.”



Sasuke didn’t look up from the cup of tea placed in front of him. In fact, he didn’t even respond to the statement in any form. Itachi shifted, but only slightly.



“I was drunk.”



This time, Sasuke did look up. Instead of hurt or forgiveness, there was anger. “Does that give you the right?”



Itachi seemed slightly surprised at Sasuke’s outburst, but held his tongue. The room proceeded to drop several degrees from the glare Sasuke was sending in Fugaku’s direction. Sasuke’s anger only seemed to spur Fugaku into his own. The two had always been like oil and water, more so than with Itachi.



“I said I was sorry.” Fugaku held his temper, unwilling to explode on such a small provocation.



“And you think that makes it alright? If Mother was here--” Sasuke didn’t get to finish the statement. Fugaku slammed his palms on the table, startling both sons at the sound.



Fugaku’s eyes spat fire, his mind so enraged at the reminder of Mikoto’s death; he didn’t even feel the sting in his palms from slapping them so hard on the table. “Do you think you’ve got it bad? All you lost was a mother. I lost a wife. I lost someone who I loved more than anyone.”



Itachi stood and prepared to run interference. “We loved her too. We miss her. Sasuke isn’t saying you didn’t love her.”



“Your mother isn’t coming back, so you both need to deal with it. There is no point in discussing the matter. If you don’t want to accept my apology, fine. Don’t. I don’t care.” Fugaku whirled from the table, his feet falling loudly on the wooden steps leading to the second floor.



Storming through the bedroom, he paused at the open bathroom. Disgust and anger rushed through him at the memory of what he’d allowed to happen a mere two hours past. Those two emotions made it easy to mask the truth. He’d wanted and needed it. He’d needed the touch of another human being in his pain. That it had been Minato only made the ache all the worse. He’d betrayed Mikoto’s memory with another and wanted more.



He wanted to feel the warmth Minato exuded. For those brief moments in the bathroom, hidden away from the world, he’d felt alive again for the first time since Mikoto’s death. The pain had eased and he’d allowed himself to be swept away in the current.



Slamming a palm onto the wall, he closed his eyes at the slight tingle of arousal the memory invoked. He shouldn’t be aroused by another so soon. If Minato favored Mikoto, or possessed her gentle personality, he might reason himself projecting her onto him. Such wasn’t the case. Minato possessed blond hair, blue eyes, and tanned skin. His personality wasn’t overly far removed from Mikoto, but it certainly wasn’t close enough for him to ever confuse the two even in the most stressful of circumstances.



“Fuck…” He ran fingers through his hair, falling to his knees. He felt alone, not even his sons could break through the feelings of being completely alone.



oOo



Minato stared for a long time at the words printed across the book in his hand. He tried to comprehend them but nothing seemed to make it from his eyes to his brain. Naruto had been surprisingly restrained lately as well. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know the reason behind his son’s depression. The Uchihas.



Nearly a week had passed since Itachi had shown up on their doorstep with Sasuke. Each day, he saw his son grow more and more distant. Today was no different; Naruto sat at the dining room table with his homework piled around him. “How are Sasuke and Itachi doing?”



Naruto shrugged his slender shoulders, his pencil drawing doodles on paper instead of actually focusing on the work. It worried Minato more than it should have. All families dealt with grief differently. Fugaku was going to wake up from his haze just as Minato had and realize there was someone there who needs his love and attention.



“What’s up with the silent treatment? You always talk about Sasuke,” Minato probed.



“He’s fine, I guess. He doesn’t talk to me much anymore.” Naruto fiddled a little with his pencil. “He just sits in class. He’s like a zombie. Do you think he’s…you know…infected?”



If the information hadn’t been so heartbreaking, he might have laughed at the comment. He could tell by the look in Naruto’s eye, he didn’t believe for an instant Sasuke was infected with some zombie virus. “No, he’s not infected. He’s just really hurting right now.”



“Because of his mom?”



Minato pulled out a chair beside Naruto. “Partly. But he’s hurting for his father as well. Fugaku is having a hard time with Mikoto’s death, and his son’s have no one to talk to in their grief.”



“They have me. I can be their chancellor.” Naruto patted his chest. His eyes were so determined, just like his personality. Naruto was a compassionate child.



“The word is councilor. You’re a little young but you should try talking to Sasuke. If he could open up to you, it might help him. It’s a good idea, you had though. The three of them could use some counseling.” Minato ruffled Naruto’s wild blond hair. “I’ll see what I can do to get you your friend back.”



Naruto’s face lit up like a Christmas tree at thought of Sasuke being the boy he’d played video games with a few short months ago. Minato liked seeing his son happy. The moping Naruto of recent days broke his heart in ways only a parent could experience. “Now, finish your homework.”



Naruto nodded his head happily and set about the given task with much more enthusiasm than he’d previously exhibited. Minato walked into his small home office upon leaving Naruto to his work. Inside the desk, he pulled out a contact book and flipped through the pages until he found a familiar name.



Picking the phone from its cradle he dialed the number and waited for an answering voice. “Yes?”



“Genma…I have a favor to ask,” Minato sighed. He hated calling on an old friend, but Genma had helped him through Kushina’s death. Jiraiya had introduced them when Minato’s depression got to deep for him to handle.



“What’s the favor, and do I have a choice in the matter?”



“I want you to take on a case I’m going to send to you--Fugaku Uchiha and his two sons. His wife died about three or so months back. He’s not dealing well, and neither are his sons.” Minato rocked back in his chair, staring at the plastered ceiling but not truly seeing. His mind kept rolling back to Fugaku. He needed to make things right with the man. He shouldn’t have done what he did, and the guilt ate away at him.



“Well…what’s in it for me? There is this little Italian place on Lee Street. We could meet up and discuss old times.” Genma’s gruff voice purred into his ear. There was a time he would have reacted to the sound but he knew very well he and Genma didn’t mix well. Their disastrous four months together, two years after Kushina’s death, was proof of that.



For all his flirting, Genma was a good man. There was also the issue of the man Genma was involved with. Minato hadn’t met him, but he’d heard he was a ball breaker when it came to keeping Genma in line. There would be no more playing the field in Dr. Genma Shiranui’s future. “I would rather not.”



“You wound me.” The sound of the pout in Genma’s voice brought a smile to Minato’s lips.



“And you know I would never risk my balls at the hands of…what’s his name? Tenzou?”



Genma snorted loudly. “It’s not your balls you would need to worry about.”



Genma never changed. His flippant attitude only made him that much better of a psychologist and councilor. His personality forced people from their comfort zone in order to reveal their dysfunctions and begin the healing process.



“I’m sure your balls would be perfectly safe as well.”



Genma repeated the snort. “I beg to differ. So, tell me about this person you are referring to me. You like him, don’t you?”



Ever observant apparently. “That’s not the point.”



“And it’s not like you to lust after someone who was recently widowed.”



“I’m not the one who needs therapy.” Minato scowled, hoping by some off chance the ferocity of the expression could be mentally extended to Genma. The man was laughing, even if silently.



“If you say so. It’s just I’ve never seen you so desperate to help someone. You know…it could be months or years before your friend is able to move on and actually be healthy enough for a relationship.”



Minato closed his eyes. “I know. He just…needs help. His sons are suffering and I’m afraid I may have made things worse.”



“How so?”



He nibbled on his lower lip, not sure he should tell Genma something so private. A flush spread across his cheeks, partly arousal and partly embarrassment. It made him suddenly grateful he wasn’t sitting in Genma’s office.



“Come on Minato. You know the deal. It will eat away at you until you finally tell someone.”



“We…I went to his house and we made out in his bathroom. Jesus, Genma. I practically raped him in his own house.” Minato tunneled a hand through his hair. He’d know Fugaku wasn’t exactly unwilling at the time, but emotionally he’d been in a place that allowed him to be taken advantage of.



“Was he unwilling?”



“No but…I knew it wasn’t what he needed. I don’t know what got into me.” Minato was now pacing his office, frustration at finally coming to terms with what he’d done.



Genma hummed into the phone. “He needed physical touch. It’s not uncommon after the loss of a significant other. Perhaps what the two of you did wasn’t exactly healthy for either of you, but it was a normal reaction.”



“I called you because I want you to see him…not for you to analyze me.”



Minato could practically see Genma smiling on the other line. “But apparently you needed it. It’s good to have someone to talk to. You only have Naruto and he’s too young to be a confidant. You should call me up more often. It will make you feel better.”



“We’ll see.” It was the most he would give Genma. He’d hated the time he’d spent in that office. He’d hated it, yet he’d desperately needed it at the time. Genma had been a prodigy, barely twenty and already holding a doctorate in psychology. They’d been like oil and water at first but somehow, Genma had drawn him from his shell.



“Make sure you give your friend my number for an appointment. Don’t let him brush you off. Be firm. He needs this. You both do. I expect to see you in my office in a couple of weeks. I’ll even be nice and not charge you for the visit,” chuckled Genma.



“Sure thing…” Minato grudgingly agreed.



Minato replaced the phone. The easy part was finished. The hard part came in making Fugaku agree to see Genma. After how their last meeting went, he wasn’t sure he could sway him enough to accept the offered help.



oOo



The next day found Minato standing with Naruto on the steps of the large Uchiha home. Naruto looked slightly apprehensive and excited at the same time.



Itachi answered the door, his dull eyes lighting up at the sight of Naruto. It was a barely visible change in expression but an obvious one. “Is your father home, Itachi?”



“Yes. He’s in his study.”



Minato left Naruto with Itachi, who led him away--most likely to where Sasuke was holed away. The study door was closed, forcing him to knock and upon hearing the command, he entered to see Fugaku looking just as haggard as he had earlier in the week. He was nursing a glass of whiskey, but obviously hadn’t gotten to the point of drunkenness.



Seeing Minato, he jumped to his feet. “What are you doing here?”



“I came to see you as a friend. I shouldn’t have done what I did last week. It wasn’t what you needed and I allowed my personal desires to cloud my true reasons for coming to you.”



Fugaku sneered at Minato’s admission. “So this is an apology then?”



“Partly. I like you, Fugaku. You’re a good friend and I’ve felt like I’ve lost you. Your sons need their father back but you’re not able to bring yourself back. You need help.” Minato clenched his hands to fists at his side to keep from going to Fugaku.



“Do you think you can give that help? Is that why you’re here? Maybe fuck me into forgetting about losing Mikoto?”



Minato bit his inner jaw until he tasted copper in his mouth. It was all he could do to keep from answering the anger with more of his own. It was what Fugaku wanted. He was goading him into attacking. “I can’t lie and say I don’t desire you physically but I’m not here for that.”



Minato pulled a card from his pocket and tossed it on the desk. “He’s good. You and your sons need someone you can trust to talk to and I’ve betrayed your trust. You should talk to him. Don’t assume you don’t need it. You do. Badly.”



“Are you finished?”



Minato sighed and nodded. “Go see him at least once. If for nothing else, do it for your sons.”



Minato turned and left Fugaku alone. A pale hand lifted the card from the desk. “Genma Shiranui.”



The drive home was filled with Naruto’s chatter concerning Itachi and Sasuke. Though the visit had been short, he’d obviously received enough of a response from the two to bring him to higher spirits. Children had the ability to recover from grief easier than adults in many cases.



“Is Mr. Uchiha going to feel better soon?”



Minato bit his lip before replying. “I hope so, Naruto. I gave him a tool too help him.”



“Like a hammer?”



The question brought a chuckle to his lips. “Something much more powerful than a hammer.”



Naruto nibbled on his lip, considering the words. “One of those hammers the guys fix the streets with? That‘s what I would give him. He could beat the bad guys up with that easy.”



Minato shook his head at his son’s innocence. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”



Naruto crossed his arms across his chest in a pout. “That’s not fair. You always say that.”



Just that easily, Naruto lifted his father’s spirits and didn’t even realize it. Now, all Minato could do was wait to see if Fugaku would take the gift he’d given him and contact Genma for the counseling he and his sons desperately needed.



oOo



Fugaku shifted uncomfortably on the leather seat in the office of Dr. Shiranui. Sasuke and Itachi sat beside him. For the first meeting, Genma Shiranui had asked to see all three upon Fugaku’s initial call.



He wasn’t sure what made him pick up the card Minato had left. For a long while he’d sat staring at the liquor swirling in his glass. Never drinking, but instead, analyzing what Minato had said--not just that day, but the day they’d ravished each other in the shower. He’d come to realize it was a mutual desire. He’d needed to forget his pain--drown it in pleasure. Minato had an intense desire to heal him. Both instincts fed off each other, resulting in the mutual copulation in the bathroom. Understanding didn’t make him any less disgusted with himself.



“Mr. Uchiha. Could the three of you come back?”



The three stood silently and followed the receptionist to a comfortable office. Inside were several plush chairs and behind a desk sat a shaggy haired psychologist. He grinned widely upon seeing Fugaku, making him decidedly uncomfortable.



“I can see why Minato was so taken with you.”



Fugaku’s eyes narrowed. It was one thing to unleash his dirty laundry before a doctor. It was another all together to do so in front of his sons. “I’m not sure what you mean,” he evaded.



“And you boys. How do you feel around your father?”



Sasuke and Itachi exchanged looks but said nothing. The silent exchange spurred Genma to begin jotting down information in his open file. For nearly five minutes, the only sound in the room was that of a pen scraping on the paper.



Finally after what seemed like ages, Dr. Shiranui spoke. “Well, here’s the deal. Sasuke and Itachi can leave for now. I want to see them both every other week. I’m going to talk with your father for a little while longer. Why don’t you boys go wait outside until we are finished.”



Itachi and Sasuke stood silently and walked out of the office looking slightly more confused and much more intrigued at the short visit. Genma turned his gaze to Fugaku. “You’re sons are suffering from high levels of anxiety and grief. I think after a few sessions with me, they will perk back up to their usual selves. You on the other hand, I can see your anger building yet your expression hasn’t changed since you arrived.” Genma sat back in his chair, placing his hand across his abdomen and watching Fugaku’s response.



“What’s that got to do with anything?”



Genma smiled faintly, the chair squeaking with each rocking motion he made. “Well, just about everything. This is what I’ve gleaned from knowing you for all of five minutes. I knew your wife died and you are here looking for help dealing with it. From watching you and your sons, I’ve composed a basic profile outline. You’re not dealing well with you’re wife’s death. You’ve turned to drinking to escape. You’ve probably begun suffering from mood swings, most likely between depression and anger. It’s likely you’ve begun overly harsh discipline on your sons. You’re turning away from people you were close with before her death, probably from an unconscious fear of losing them as well. You tend to bottle your emotions inside but the grief only seems to overpower you all the more. You’re used to hiding your emotions and your wife was one of the few people you opened up to. With her gone, you’re unable to deal with the build up of emotions and in turn, relieve your frustrations out on your sons. How is that for five minutes of watching you?”



Fugaku opened his mouth, but was unable to respond. Some of what he said was so close to the truth it was scary. “You’re full of shit. Minato gave me your name. He could have told you half of that easily.”



Genma nodded sagely. “He could have…but he didn’t. All he revealed was that your wife had recently died and that he was sexually attracted to you.”



Fugaku’s face flared red, a response he was unable to stop despite the most stringent control. “I…The bastard told you that?”



“He did. I think you’re attracted to him as well. I think part of your unresolved anger is at yourself and not Minato. You’re angry because you’re attracted to someone so soon after your wife’s death. You loved her deeply and this attraction to Minato makes you feel disgusted at yourself. How long have you realized you were bisexual?” Genma scribbled in his file while staring intently at Fugaku with a gaze so strong, he felt the heat of it.



“Since I was a teenager,” he gritted out.



Genma smiled a little. “Have you ever been in a relationship with a man?”



“None lasting.”



“Have you ever cheated on your wife with a man?”



Anger rushed through Fugaku with the force of a freight train. It was the first time since meeting the psychologist that he’d shown any sort of emotional response. His palm slammed on the oak desk, rattling the paper weights and miscellaneous pens. “I’ve never cheated on my wife.”



Genma was completely unfazed at Fugaku’s outburst. “But you’ve wanted to.”



The bones in Fugaku’s voice seemed to grate with the force not to stand up and plow a fist directly into the smirking mouth. It wasn’t that he’d never looked at other women, or men for that matter. Any red-blooded man admired an attractive person even if they were in a loving relationship. The secret he’d hidden from Mikoto was that he didn’t like to play the dominant role in the bedroom every encounter. Mikoto hadn’t been the type to enjoy sex games or role reversals and Fugaku would never have asked it of her just for his own sexual satisfaction. That’s what fantasies were for.



“You’re suddenly quiet. I was right?”



“What’s this got to do with grief?” Fugaku relaxed his clenched fists, sitting back in the leather chair.



“Everything. Humans are sexual beings. In your grief, you turned to another. You need to accept what happened as a normal event. It doesn’t smudge the memory of your wife. You need to forgive yourself in order to move on.” Genma scribbled more words on the file. “Have you been sleeping?”



Fugaku shook his head, too tired to fight any longer. Genma hummed at the acknowledgment. “Now, let’s talk about your wife.”



oOo



Fugaku had never felt more exhausted in his life. His feet dragged slowly into the waiting room where his sons waited patiently. He couldn’t imagine what he looked like but imagined it wasn‘t pretty. He’d run his hand through his hair countless times while seated before Genma Shiranui.



“Are you alright, Father?” Itachi asked hesitantly.



Fugaku nodded. He didn’t feel alright and for all the uncomfortable discussion, he knew he would come back again and again. He felt exposed but for the first time since his wife’s death, he wasn’t drowning. His burden felt lightened enough for him to bob back above the water.



“I’m…better.”



Itachi smiled faintly and took Sasuke’s hand. “Can we have pizza tonight?”



Fugaku nodded absently, allowing his son to suggest their favorite pizza eatery. He felt almost on autopilot while driving to the small family owned restaurant. They’d almost finished their meal when a loud exclamation drew Fugaku from his absentminded thoughts.



“Sasuke! Tachi!”



Itachi suddenly had his arms full of skinny blond while Sasuke’s eyes lit up in a way that Fugaku hadn’t seen since before their mother died. It only took him an instant to realize who the blond was. Naruto. And where Naruto was, Minato was sure to follow. He glanced towards the entrance to see the lean Minato walking almost reluctantly towards the table to claim his son.



Naruto‘s mouth didn‘t stop moving. It was probably to make up for the lack of conversation from the two Uchiha boys who now had his full attention. “S’suke…we’re gonna eat pizza! I wish I’d known you were going to be here. I would have made him come earlier. That stupid teacher made me stay after school. I only told her the truth when she asked what was in my mouth. My tongue is in my mouth. I just left out the part of gum being in there too. Tachi, Halo2 is out. It’s awesome. You guys have got to come to my house and play it. Dad! Can S’suke and Tachi come spend the night? It’s Friday. Please! That teacher was totally in the wrong for writing me up. I didn‘t do anything bad.”



Fugaku blinked dumbly at the completely one sided conversation Naruto participated in. Sasuke and Itachi didn’t seem to mind. Itachi’s hand was ruffling blond hair and Sasuke was nodding animatedly at everything being said.



Minato chuckled faintly. “You’ll have to ask Itachi and Sasuke’s father.”



Naruto turned huge blue eyes on Fugaku. The man wasn’t prepared for the look of huge watery sapphire colored eyes staring directly at him. The boy looked ready to cry, his eyes pleading. To tell him no was the same as kicking a puppy or tossing aside a kitten. It was impossible.



“I…don’t see why not.”



Naruto sat back triumphantly, both Uchiha sons looking on in amazement. Naruto did a little fist pump before grabbing two hands. “Come on, let’s go play the games.”



Sasuke followed dumbly, actually muttering to himself. “I can’t believe he looked pitiful and Father agreed.”



Itachi snorted faintly. “Never underestimate the power of big blue eyes.”



Minato took the seat Itachi had vacated almost nervously. “I’m surprised to see you and the boys out.”



“I think they saw a weakness and conned me into pizza,” Fugaku mused.



Minato chuckled at the statement, his body relaxing a little as if released from a tight rope. “It’s good to see you out.”



Fugaku murmured an agreement, turning his gaze to see Naruto cheering on Itachi and Sasuke going head to head in some sort of fighting game. “It’s nice to see them smiling again.”



“Fugaku…I’d like us to be friends again. I’m…not going to let before happen again. I shouldn’t have let it happen at all.” Minato turned his eyes from his son to Fugaku. “Can we?”



Fugaku opened his mouth, but no sound escaped. He wanted that too. He wanted the warm friendship they’d had before Mikoto’s death. He missed Minato‘s warm presence and even Naruto‘s loud personality. “I’d like that.”



Minato’s face relaxed and he turned to follow Fugaku’s gaze to where their son’s played contentedly together. It was a start.



To be continued…