This is yet another stress relief project that has been in the works for years. Usual disclaimer that I work in healthcare and so updates are going to be sporadic at best, but I hope you enjoy it.

The people of Konoha were celebrating.

After all, why shouldn't they? The Kyūbi had been vanquished. The Nine-Tailed Fox, the demonic force of nature that had tried to destroy their village, was gone. After all the fear and terror and sacrifice, the people needed some sense of victory.

The shinobi thought differently. They were the ones who had borne the brunt of the losses. They were the ones who had lost their golden young Hokage. They were the ones who sat with their families and friends and waited for the storm to break.

Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Chōza were no exception. Their clans were safe and any damages under control, and so they had retreated to the sanctuary of their preferred shinobi-run bar. It was quiet, unlike most of the others they had passed on the way, and the bartender knew better than to do anything more than bring them their drinks and leave them in peace.

Neither jōnin spoke. After years as teammates, and even longer as friends, they didn't need to. Instead they nursed their drinks and waited.

They weren't waiting long before they were joined by a tall, blond man. He sat in silence and caught the barman's eye with a twitch of his head. Only once the final drink had been delivered and they had been left in peace did Shikaku speak.

"It's as we expected then."

It wasn't a question, but Yamanaka Inoichi nodded anyway. "The news is spreading quickly, but they are angry, not grateful. They hate him as much as they hate the Fox."

"Don't know why anyone thought anything else would happen," Chōza muttered.

Inoichi's blue eyes flashed with agreement. "They speak of the monster the demon brat will grow up to become. He's not even a week old, and yet their minds are made up." He shook his head, ponytail whipping about his shoulders in exasperation. "He has the potential to become one of the most powerful shinobi in the world, and this is how they would treat him?"

His voice cracked slightly, and he looked away. "He's a baby and they hate him."

Chōza let out a low growl. The two turned expectant looks on Shikaku, who finished his drink before nodding. "We are agreed then."

Twin savage grins met his words, and Shikaku let his own smirk grow.

One way or another, Konoha would honour the wishes of the Yondaime Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the three implacable faces before him, and sighed.

"You are set on this."

Shikaku just raised an eyebrow, and Hiruzen sighed again. "Which of you will be taking him?"

He wasn't particularly surprised when Inoichi stepped forward. "We won't be hiding his identity, but he will have some protection if civilians assume he is just a Yamanaka bastard on sight."

They had clearly thought about this, not that Hiruzen had expected anything less, but there were still problems. "The villagers will have questions if Naruto simply disappears."

"No, they won't," said Chōza, with a snort. "They won't give a damn as long as the boy is under control and out of sight." He shook his head. "If they do ask, just tell them he's being appropriately monitored. They'll feel better with a clan or three in the way."

"Or say that he's going through special training, like Danzō wants," Shikaku drawled.

Hiruzen opened his mouth to demand how they even knew that, caught three identical looks, and closed it again. They were some of his best for a reason. Instead he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I have already refused that request," he said quietly.

Shikaku nodded but stayed silent. Hiruzen sighed again. The issue of the boy had to be settled, but he did wish they had waited. Dealing with the aftermath of the village nearly being destroyed was no easy task, especially for one who was supposed to be retired.

But he was Hokage, and he would do his duty. And the thought of Naruto growing up feared and resented in an orphanage was not a pleasant one.

"Do you intend to tell him about his burden?"

Inoichi nodded. "When he is ready, yes. We will ensure that he is properly trained by the clans, but he will still be at risk, from outside influences as well as the people of this village. He deserves to know why."

Hiruzen frowned at him. "How can you be so sure that they will reject him?" he asked. "They have been asked to honour Minato's legacy."

Chōza shook his head, and Inoichi gave a decidedly bitter smile. "I have walked among them, Hokage-sama. I have listened to their words, and to what they are not saying. They hate the Fox for all it has done, and they have transferred that hatred to Naruto." He sighed. "Perhaps if Minato had lived then things would be different, but Naruto will never be accepted by them now."

Hiruzen grimaced, but he knew better than to doubt the word of a Yamanaka. Before he could say anything though, Shikaku spoke up,

"Speaking of Minato, we'll be telling the kid about his heritage when he's ready too."

For a moment Hiruzen could only stare at him, but frustration soon overwhelmed his concern. "That knowledge was restricted to myself and Jiraiya." Not even Kakashi had been told, not that the young man was in any fit state to do anything about it.

Shikaku just raised an eyebrow. "Minato and Kushina were together. Kushina was pregnant, and don't say she wasn't because Yoshino worked it out months ago."

"And then she mysteriously disappears for months leaving Minato more stressed than ever," Chōza muttered.

Inoichi coughed, and the corner of Shikaku's mouth twitched up as he continued, "Kushina died the day Naruto was born. Minato would never sacrifice another man's child. Hardly difficult, Hokage-sama."

Damned Nara. Hiruzen gritted his teeth. "His life will be in great danger should the truth of his parentage become known."

That earned him a flat look. "That's why I said when he's ready."

"In the meantime, if he's seen often enough with my clan he'll be assumed to have Yamanaka blood," Inoichi pointed out. "People see what they expect to see, and a blue-eyed blond in Konoha…" He trailed off with a shrug.

"And he'll be far safer under the protection of our clans than he would be in an orphanage," Chōza added. He folded his arms. "He deserves better than a lifetime of resentment for something far out of his control."

They fell silent, arguments made, and Hiruzen reflected somewhat ruefully that the Ino-Shika-Chō trio were feared for good reason. There wasn't a trace of hesitation on any face, and he knew better than to think that they would ever back down. Hiruzen closed his eyes, and tried to think.

On the one hand, it was an incredible risk. Should anyone outside Konoha discover any of the boy's secrets then every other Hidden Village would be out for blood. Not to mention how furious Danzō and the rest of the council would be.

On the other, Naruto would be trained by three of the strongest clans in Konoha, and raised by friends of his parents. He would be safe, protected, loved…

Hiruzen had failed Minato and Kushina. He would not fail their son.

Yamanaka Keiko looked at her husband, then at the bundle in his arms, and back again. She had known Inoichi was planning something, and he had given in and told her when she asked, but she hadn't expected him to move so fast.

Then again, she really should be used to it by now.

There was only one question on her mind.

"Is it safe?"

Inoichi nodded. "The seal has been examined by both the Hokage and Jiraiya-sama. The Kyūbi is secured, unable to escape or influence its host." He took a step forward, and held out the baby. "This is Uzumaki Naruto," he said softly. "His parents died during the attack."

He said nothing else, but he didn't have to. Keiko smiled, and carefully took the bundle from her husband. "Hello, Naruto," she whispered. Enormous blue eyes blinked up at her, and Keiko felt the fierce, almost painful, surge of love she'd only ever felt when looking at Ino. "Oh, Inoichi…"

Inoichi's arms came around her, and Keiko felt him let out a shuddering breath. "I couldn't leave him in an orphanage."

"Certainly not." She shifted a little so that she could smile down at Naruto. "We'll put him in with Ino for now."

Naruto yawned and snuggled into her arms, and Keiko looked up to see her husband's eyes fill with love and pride. "It'll be good for her to be a big sister," he agreed.

Keiko smiled, and hugged her new child close. "Welcome to the family, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Ino-Shika-Chō."

Shimura Danzō was not in a good mood. That was not an unusual occurrence. This time though, he had good reason for it. The Yondaime had given them a perfect weapon, and what were they doing with it? The jinchūriki of the Kyūbi could be the most powerful creature in the world, and he was being raised by a bunch of peace-loving fools.

Danzō forced his fury under control with the ease of long practice, and took a deep breath. Outright protests would be a waste of time. Sarutobi had made his position on the child's future clear, and Danzō knew better than to try to test him. Approaching the Yamanaka was also out of the question. That clan on their own wouldn't be much of an obstacle, but he wouldn't be facing just the Yamanaka. The Nara and Akimichi would support their ally with everything they had, and Danzō wasn't foolish enough to antagonise all three.

Still, there were other ways. Danzō sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers. Let them do as they wished. Let them think that they had won.

He had waited decades. He could wait a little longer.

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