Naruto - 9 years old

Minato hummed a tune as he washed the dishes that had been piling up for the past two days. He had the day off, so he was not in a hurry to finish his chores.

Since he had nothing planned, maybe he could go out with Naruto. Usually he would spend the day developing his jutsu, but Naruto has been wanting to spend a whole day with him lately. Truthfully, he missed spending time with his son. Now that Naruto is old enough to walk around the village on his own, he has always been out to play or train with his friends.

It was a little lonely coming back home to an empty house.

Minato wiped the last plate of its bubbles and began to stack them on the selves when suddenly, Naruto came running into the kitchen with a look of excitement.

"Tou-chan! Tou-chan!"

"Yes, yes?" Minato responded without stopping his hands from working.

"I found one of kaa-chan's fuinjutsu book!"

Minato railed back a little when said book was shoved infront of his face. His eyes squinted as he tried to read the cover of the book. Key word tried, because there was nothing he could indicate that the book belongs to Kushina.

"Hm. How do you know it belongs to kaa-chan?"

Naruto gave him an incredulous look. He pulled the book back and scanned the cover intensely. Minato placed the last of the dishes into the selves and wiped his hands with a towel. He stirred Naruto into the living room.

"But it says right here!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing towards the blank and brown cover book. Minato stared at it, not seeing what he son was trying to show him. "Kushina's badass fuinjutsu book to Naruto!"

Minato still could not see it, no matter how hard Naruto asked him to look. "Well, with that kind of title, it's surely written by kaa-chan."

"Why can't you see it?" Naruto asked in puzzlement.

Minato studied the book, turning it over and brightened at the sight of a seal. He chuckled as he began to examine it. "It seems like kaa-chan placed a seal to disguise the book from anyone but Naruto." He quickly teleported into his room to fetch his sealing kit, and came back in a flash.

"Why would she do that?" Naruto watched his father in curiosity, eyes moving back and forth following his hand work.

"Safety measures. Who knows what kind of jutsu she has stored in here."

Naruto perked up in excitement at the word jutsu. "Do you think there's an exploding jutsu in there?! Like Sasuke's Fire Ball jutsu?"

Minato chuckled as he made the last stroke to break the seal. "Maybe. Let's find out --" His hand touched the edge of the book, ready to turn it over, but before he could Naruto snatched it away.

Minato stared at his son in bewilderment. Noting that Naruto looks like a cute dragon protecting it's precious treasure from the bandits.

"No! Kaa-chan said to not let anyone look!"

Minato smiled patiently. "I'm sure there's exception..." He reached over, intending to do what he had started a moment ago.

Naruto jumped back with the book in hand before Minato could reach him. Minato looked up at his son with a frown.

"Naruto..." He called softly. He was seriously curious at what Kushina had wrote in the book. Wondering if the jutsu she had used to split the kyuubi was written in it. Even if there wasn't, he still wanted to know what other jutsu she was developing without his knowledge.

As time passed on their unintentional staring game, his curiosity has reached a dangerous level and his son was preventing him from abating it.

Unfortunately, he must've given something away on his thoughts as Naruto turned and bolted, screaming a loud and resounding, "No!"

"Naruto!" Minato immediately give chase. He had to hand it to his son, his ability to dodge and escape his grasp was on the level of a slippery eel. The tight spaces were an advantage Naruto quickly learns to utilize.

In the end, Minato gave up on the chase and flicker behind Naruto, startling the boy to the point he fell on his arse. Minato saw his opening and swiftly snatched the book out of his son's grasp.

"That's cheating, Tou-chan!" Naruto whined, winching in pain as he rubbed his butt. "I can't believe you use flicker!"

"All fair in love and war."

"That sure is some twisted love!"

Minato resisted the urge to laugh at his son's indignant exclamation but failed horribly when a chuckle escaped him. This was met with the expected glare and furious pout from Naruto.

"Ma…ma, Naruto. Just a little peak," Seeing that his son was still angry, Minato tries to compromise with him. "Who knows, I might be able to help you in understanding your kaa-chan's awful writings."

Naruto pursed his lips as he furrowed in deep thought. His scrunched up face almost sent Minato chuckling again but he resisted the urge. No need to put more oil in his son's ire. A moment later, he groaned dramatically and plopped down onto the nearest couch.

"Fine!" He whined. "I can't understand half of what she wrote anyway! So you better teach me, tou-chan!"

Minato smiled as he sat beside his son. "It's a promise." Naruto held out his pinky and Minato played along with the childish vow. His amusement increases when he heard his son singing the pinky song. "Did you learn that from Sakura-chan?"

"Yup!"

"What did you guys promise?"

"That she --" Naruto abruptly cut off his sentence before he could finish it. He glared at his father furiously, hand covering his mouth.

Minato laughed as he ruffled Naruto's blond locks. "You're doing great!"

Naruto grumbled incoherently under his breath. With one last indignant huff, he pointed towards the book in Minato's hands and glared.

Shaking his head in amusement at his son's adorable antics, Minato opened the book. He reeled back in shock when something colourful exploded in his face.

Now it was Naruto's turn to laugh his head off. Minato blinked away the powder that was caught in his eyes and glance at Naruto in bemusement. He turned his attention back towards the book and couldn't help but to smile at the large scribble words.

GOTCHA! - K

He chuckled under his breath before making his way towards the kitchen to retrieve a wet cloth to wipe the colourful powder undoubtedly on his face. He returned to the living room to find Naruto finally calming down from his fit of laughter. Although he still hiccups occasionally, tears of laughter rolling down his cheeks.

Minato sighed, taking his seat beside Naruto once again. "I hope this isn't hard to get rid off." He said, tugging at his tainted blond locks in dismay.

"I'll help you with that!" Naruto cheerfully offered, eyes shining in mirth at the sight of his father.

Minato scoffed before ruffling his son's hair once again, but a little roughly. "You would know how to, now would you?"

He felt both exasperated and amused at his son's fondness in pranking others behind his back. He completely got that from his mother, that's for sure. Maybe he should've reeled back on the stories of all her mischievous adventures. For some odd reason, Naruto sees it as a challenge.

Naruto squealed, batting his hand away. When Minato paused for a moment, Naruto saw his chance and pounced at Minato. With a gasp of surprise, Minato fell back on the couch.

"Come on, tou-chan! Let's look at the book!" Naruto said impatiently.

Minato pushed them upwards. Naruto sat in his lap to get a better look at the book in his hands. Slowly -- just to tease his son a little -- he opened the book. When he read the first page, his eyebrows shot up behind his bangs.

Kushina, you're crazy.

He scanned the book a little too quickly, ignoring Naruto's protest as he went through the pages at a high speed. His eyes flickers to every word, symbol and diagram. Feeling mildly impressed and insanely proud at the woman he considered his equal.

Kushina wasn't hailed as a genius Fuinjutsu master just for the pretty titles. No way would she accept it if that were the case.

He felt a little envy at the fact that she hadn't taught him half of the seals in the book. The thought caused fondness to swell in his chest as he realize why she hadn't taught him. She didn't exactly hide her disappointment at being unable to master Rasengan. Teasingly, she blamed his teaching skills for her inability. But one thing is for sure, she was still salty about that fact and sometimes Kushina can be quite immature when she wants to be. This must be her revenge against him.

"Tou-chan!"

Minato paused in motion of flipping to the next page when a tiny hand pressed onto the book. He looked down to find Naruto glaring up at him in disapproval.

"Unlike you tou-chan, I don't get half of the things kaa-chan wrote in there. I don't even get her handwriting," He huffed in exasperation, a pout appearing between his whiskered cheeks. "So you gotta explain to me. Slowly!"

Minato bit back an amused laughter, slowly flipping the pages back to the beginning. "Okay, okay. My bad. Got a little excited there."

Naruto rolled his eyes. Minato wondered if he learned the gesture from Shikamaru. "Jeez, tou-chan, you can be such a kid sometimes."

At that statement, Minato did laughed aloud. Naruto joined him not even a second later.

Minato stared down at his son in amusement. The boy was laying on the grass at the back of their home, panting hard with his eyes blown wide in shock and fear. The sight caused him to chuckle, resulting in the expected glare directed towards him.

"Are you alright, Naru-chan?" He said his name in sing-along tone.

"I've heard the stories..." Naruto began slowly, glare still on his father. "I can't believe Kaka-nii was right!"

Minato stared at him, feeling a little confused. What could he be talking about, he wonders. And what does Kakashi has anything to do with their training?

Naruto's expression turns from an irritated glare to an incredulous frown. "And you don't even realize it?!" He exclaimed dramatically, rolling around in the grass to emphasized his incredulous feeling.

Minato has no idea what could be the cause of such a reaction from his son, but his antics always made him smile. Naruto can be such a silly child sometimes.

He gave Naruto some time to allow whatever frustration within him to leave his body. Once the boy has calmed down, minato crouched beside him and poked his pouting cheeks.

"What are you pouting for, Naruto?" He picked up the two fallen paper beside his son and held it up to show it to him with a smile. "Look! You managed to insert chakra in the paper and it split in two. That means you have an affinity with wind, like me."

That reminder quickly brought the bright smile back onto Naruto's face. It was amazing how his face lit up in delight after a moment of gloom. The transition was as abrupt as his change of mood.

Naruto jumped to his feet and snatched the paper from his father's hand, jumping around in his excitement.

"This is so cool! I'm like tou-chan! Yay!"

Minato couldn't help but to laugh when Naruto began that weird worm dance of his when he was excited about something. He felt a mixture of fondness and embarrassment at the sight. Hopefully, Naruto would leave the habit behind once he was older. If not for his father sake, then for himself.

Once Naruto's excitement had lessen significantly, he clapped his hands loudly to catch his attention.

"Okay, let's not waste anymore energy," He picked two fallen leaves from the ground and hand one over to Naruto, who took it with a wary expression. "It's nice and all to know about your affinity, but first you need to learn control." He placed his leaf on his unprotected forehead and allowed it to stay there with his chakra. "This is what you're going to do. Focus your chakra on a single point to make the leaf stay in place. Once you manage this, we'll go to the next step."

Naruto stared at his leaf and slowly placed it on his forehead. His face scrunched up in concentration. Slowly, he released his hold on the leaf, only to pout in dissapointment when it fell. Naruto snatched the leaf from the air with a scowl and repeated the action. The result did not change the second time he does it. By the tenth time he tries it, Minato noticed that the distance between them had become wider.

Minato stared at his son in bewilderment. "Why do I get the feeling that you're getting further away from me?" He asked. He wasn't shouting but loud enough for Naruto to hear him.

Naruto narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "In case you do anything funny."

Minato frowned, tilting his head to the side as he tries to recall if he had done anything 'funny'. "I don't recall doing anything funny though?"

"It's sarcasm, tou-chan! Sasuke taught me it," He flailed his arms around. "And I'm talking about what you did earlier!"

"When I transform?"

Naruto pointed a finger accusingly. "Into a lion! You scared the crap outta me!"

"Language. And it's a liger."

Minato reminds himself to search the person who has been cursing infront of Naruto. 2 possible candidate already appears in his mind.

"Anyway, it's just a liger Naruto, it won't hurt you." He said placatingly.

"That's not what it's sharp teeth told me."

"Don't be silly, they don't eat humans." Well, there are rare cases but let's not mention that to his already terrified son. Now he feels guilty. He didn't know Naruto has a fear of liger.

"Kaka-nii told me he almost got bit by one."

Minato didn't remember anything of the sort. Maybe Kakashi just didn't inform him of that tad bit, or maybe he's just messing with Naruto to scare the boy.

"Kakashi doesn't like cats much. Maybe he's the one to pick the fight."

Naruto's suspicious glare did not lessen at his attempt of reassurance. Usually he was better than this, he wonders what went wrong this time.

"Okay, okay," Minato raised his hand in defeat. "I won't do it again. So how about you keep on practising, and when you manage to do it, I'll teach you how to walk on trees."

Naruto's suspicion immediately evaporated as his face brightened at Minato's offer. "Really?! That's something they will only teach us next year!" He rolled on his feet giddily, eyes shining as bright as the blue sky.

Minato laughed lightly at the quick change of his mood. It was so easy to make his son forget about the reason for his ire. "Well, no one says that you can't learn it early."

"Yes!" Naruto punched the air in his excitement. "Later I can also walk on water, right?"

"Yes. But first," He pointed towards the scrunched up leaf in Naruto's hand. "Master the leaf."

Naruto looked down at his hand, and chuckled sheepishly. He threw the destroyed leaf away and picked up a new one. "I'm going to master it in a day! " He said with determination.

Minato smiled. Inwardly he realize that he has to make ramen for dinner. He'll have to comfort his son when dinner comes. Naruto's determination is very inspiring and adorable, but he knows that Naruto would not be able to achieve it in a day. Not because he lack trust in Naruto of course. He believes that one day Naruto will surpass him. But at the moment, he is still very young and his chakra pool is very large compared to even those who possessed a huge amount of chakra. Naruto will have difficulty in learning the basic of chakra control and ninjutsu as a whole, but with his guidance, he'll make sure his son gets to learn as much as he wants.

He can't wait to teach him the rasengan when he's older. The thought of the things they can invent together when that time comes made him smile.