Author's Note: So this one chapter started as a challenge from tabjoy13 who has been beta reading for me. The challenge was to write a scene of approximately 2,000 words that had no dialogue but still portrayed emotion and events between characters. Almost like a bird's eye point of view on a scene (like the beginning of the movie UP). So that's what I've attempted.

If you've wandered into this without having read the story that sparked this, Altered Reality, check it out and the world will make a lot more sense (I hope). Otherwise you're going to be telling me that Rin and Obito are dead and Kakashi is going to be agreeing with you and it will get terribly complicated.

If she gives me more challenges, or if I get requests from people reading the story, or if I have an idea I will be adding more chapters to this. So if you want to see something, let me know and if I think I can, I'll include it in the main story or here. And yes . . this chapter is shameless fluff. Enjoy!

Despite having been rainy for the past week and a half, the day dawned clear and sunny. It was unusually warm for October and by late afternoon, sweat sparkled on the faces of the children racing across the green grass. Pale clouds were casting shadows over the small bodies playing tag. Suddenly, the blond boy leading the group tripped over his feet in his hurry and tumbled across the ground. He cried out and a woman turned and started toward him, red hair flashing in the sunlight. She managed only two steps before a man, the adult version of the muddy, dripping child, put a hand on her arm and shook his head.

The boy divided his attention between his parents and his mud spattered black t-shirt, smiling sheepishly. When neither yelled at him, Naruto grinned wider and popped back onto his feet and gave chase. The other kids darted off, game completely uninterrupted by the tumble. Kushina watched them for a moment then glanced at Minato. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her back against his chest. She didn't resist and Minato rested his chin on her shoulder, watching the children dashing one direction then the other to avoid Naruto's outstretched hand.

Not all the children were playing. A boy with spiky, dark hair was reclining in the grass, arms pillowed behind his head as he watched the clouds overhead. To his left, two girls were plaiting flowers and grass into necklaces and bracelets. The season left them little to work with in terms of beauty, but each already had flowers twined into her blond or pink tresses. A pile of others lay between them, waiting to be shaped. Surreptitiously, they would glance up at another dark-haired boy, the one with a red and white fan on his back, and giggle. Sakura and Ino watched Sasuke almost as much as he pretended not to watch the other kids. Nearby, Hinata clung to her father's leg, peering around him to watch the game. Whenever she was invited to play, however, the girl blushed furiously and buried her face in her hands.

The outfits of the children were a riot of color in the otherwise somber sea of blue, black, and green that most of the adults wore. The kids were watched with half an eye; in a field full of trained shinobi, there was little danger. Minato leaned against one of the trees that surrounded the space, a faintly amused expression on his face as he watched his son. The game of tag had dissipated and now Naruto and the black-haired cloud gazer were crouching on the riverbank. Their small hands were pushing aside the grass and weeds, looking for something. Then with a cry of triumph, both of the children leaped for the shallows, grinning. Boys didn't smile like that for no reason. Minato glanced at his wife, who wasn't looking in their direction, then shook his head and pushed away from the tree to greet a pair of newcomers.

The young man had a shock of white hair that stood out against his dark clothing. As usual, a black mask covered Kakashi's face from the nose down and his left eye was hidden behind his headband. Purple marks stood out on his companion's cheeks when she smiled between the two men. Her fingers were threaded through Kakashi's and she leaned closer, brushing his cheek with a light kiss before pulling away. Kakashi turned three shades of crimson as Minato laughed and Rin hurried off to help Kushina. Both men watched her go, Minato amused and Kakashi thoughtful and frustrated. The elder clapped Kakashi on the back and leaned close, whispering something that made the boy blush even deeper.

Meanwhile, the third member of Team Minato had joined Naruto and Shikamaru by the river. Obito's left eye was covered with black cloth but that didn't interfere with his capacity to act as lookout for the two troublemakers. Kneeling, he motioned them closer and pointed to where the girls were playing. Once he was sure he had both boys' attention, Obito swung his hand in the direction of the trees, making an imaginary curved path through them. Naruto scratched his head, face confused, but after a moment, Shikamaru nodded and dragged his friend into the forest. As he watched the boys sneaking through the shadows, Obito laughed and stood up.

Moments later, both Sakura and Ino let out a horrified squeal as the boys set loose the frogs they'd captured by the river. One of the creatures hopped onto the pile of flowers, scattering them in all directions, and another leaped into Sakura's lap. She jumped to her feet, frog tumbling to the ground. Her emerald eyes were wide with surprise until she saw Naruto laughing. Then, she rounded on him, tiny fist clenched into a ball as she hit his chest.

Minato was there in a flash, pulling the pair apart and chastising his son. He crouched next to Naruto, whispering. The boy scuffed one shoe in the grass, pouting, then looked between Sakura and Minato and shook his head. After a stern look from the Hokage, Naruto relented and rushed forward to hug Sakura who looked almost as surprised as he did. Minato ruffled his son's golden hair and smiled when the boy leaped away from Sakura. When Minato turned away, both children stuck their tongues out at each other. Shikamaru laughed from the shadows, daring a glance at his own father who had missed the exchange.

Once apologies had been made and tempers soothed, it was time to celebrate the birthday before the kids could start anymore trouble. At least that went smoothly. When it came time to open presents, Naruto grinned and tore through them eagerly. After the first two packages, and Kushina's repeated urging, Naruto remembered to say thank you. He was nearing the end of the pile when he pulled out a leather pouch. When he opened it, Naruto grinned wide enough to split his face in half. Inside were five kunai, specially crafted for the smaller hand of a child though they weren't toys.

Seeing the present, Rin turned to the side and smacked Kakashi's shoulder, launching into a tirade which the jonin met with a casual shrug. Minato grinned, watching the pair from the corner of his eye. They were interrupted as Naruto darted forward to hug Kakashi's legs, since he was too short to reach anything else. The young shinobi blushed and patted the blond head awkwardly, shooing Naruto back to his presents.

The next gift was a pair of green goggles which had Naruto's name inscribed on top. Naruto glanced at them for a long moment, a curious smile on his face as if he were thinking about something too hard. Then he laid them beside his new weapons and turned to the crowd. Blue eyes scanned the group quickly and finally settled on the man who had helped him with 'Mission: Scare Sakura and Ino.' Obito was smiling when Naruto met his gaze. As the boy started forward, Obito crouched and opened his arms. The yellow haired streak hit his chest at full speed, bowling them both over into the grass. Naruto giggled and Obito hugged him close, laughing as he set the boy back on his feet. Kushina watched the pair with a sad smile.

Minato handed the final present to Naruto and the boy's face scrunched up as he pulled the paper off. Inside was an orange and blue outfit, tailored perfectly for his small frame. Naruto tossed the pants aside and grinned at his parents, running a finger over the swirled pattern on the back and shoulder. He pulled it on over his t-shirt and gave both Minato and Kushina a hug. The jacket made him look older than his five years.

Once the presents were done the kids went back to playing, mostly pretending to be ninja like their parents. Within ten minutes, after much crying and a little blood, the kunai were taken away by Kushina. Kakashi raised his hands in defense as Rin started a second lecture. She huffed and crossed arms over her chest, foot tapping. Kakashi smiled and calmed her anger with soft words and a hug. When Obito and Minato approached them, Kakashi sprang away and blushed.

Team Minato watched the children in the fading sunlight, wistful expressions on their faces. They didn't talk, the companionable silence was enough. Eventually, Rin yawned and stretched her hands over her head, looking at Kakashi, who took the hint. The pair said goodbye to their friends, Rin by exchanging hugs and Kakashi by inclining his head slightly, then they walked back toward the village together. As they did, her arm encircled his lithe waist and after a moment, Kakashi put his around her shoulders. Rin snuggled against his side as they walked. Obito watched the pair with an unreadable expression on his face until Minato squeezed his shoulder and drew him toward Kushina and Naruto. The Uchiha glanced back at Kakashi and Rin only once.

Obito helped Minato and Kushina clean up and carry everything back home. Once everything was put away, Kushina took Naruto to bathe, leaving Minato and Obito alone. The blond man spoke softly, gaze intent on his student's half-veiled face. Obito shook his head, waving away whatever his sensei was saying with a smile that was just a tad too tense to be genuine. Minato frowned, brow creasing, and reached out to touch Obito's arm but the young man shook it off. In the end, they settled into a reluctant understanding and silence until Obito left.

Minato was still staring thoughtfully at the door when Kushina placed a hand on his lower back. He leaned back as she circled him with her arms, coming around to stand in front of him. He smiled and brushed red hair away from her forehead, holding her close. She rested her cheek against Minato's chest as he rubbed her back. They stayed that way for a long time until Minato glanced at the clock. It read much later than it should have.

Frowning at the time, Minato made his way to the bathroom and finding that empty, to Naruto's room. The little boy was in neither place. There was no panic in Minato's blue eyes as he went from room to room through the house, coming to his study last. It was messy, scrolls and papers scattering the surface of the desk and half written notes filling the spaces between. His Hokage hat was hanging from the back of the couch where he'd left it, tipping toward falling into the floor.

Naruto was lying on the cushions, Minato's Hokage cloak wrapped around him like a blanket. The man smiled at the freshly scrubbed pink cheeks and the pajamas that almost mimicked the jonin outfit, deep blue everywhere but the chest which matched the olive of a flak vest. They were Naruto's favorite. The boy's left hand was wrapped around the goggles Obito had given him and his right around one of Kakashi's kunai. Chuckling, Minato scooped the bundle of boy and cloak into his arm. Naruto startled, fighting briefly, then relaxed when his father cuddled him against his chest.

The room was dark when Minato laid Naruto on his bed, unwinding the cloak from around his small body. Extracting the kunai and goggles was more difficult but Minato finally got them both free and placed them on the table beside Naruto's bed. As soon as he woke, Naruto would be looking for his treasures. Minato knelt and kissed Naruto's forehead, smoothing a hand over the downy softness of the boy's golden locks. Naruto mumbled in his sleep, rolling away from his father's touch and cuddling with the stuffed bear Rin had given him when he was born. Smiling, Minato tucked the blankets around the boy and stood up, switching on the nightlight.

Kushina watched the pair from Naruto's doorway, smiling.