Chapter Five

"We still don't have any clue as to who the Kage is," Kurenai said after they turned over their findings to the Yondaime.

"But the smell, it's of snakes and medicine," Kiba said factually. Akamaru barked in confirmation.

"The guards chakra levels are strange," Hinata piped in and blushed when all eyes were on her. "Normal chakra mixed with a green and even orange type, as though they had been experimented on."

"We don't know that for certain, Hinata-san," Kurenai admonished only to get Minato to raise his hand to stop her as Hinata's blush deepened.

"No, I want to hear this, what she thinks. Hinata-san?"

"Well, N- Naruto-kun has dark red chakra mixed in, right? I- it's like someone has put something in them to give them different kinds of chakra."

"Hm," Minato said as Kurenai glared a bit at Hinata who ducked her head. "Kurenai-san please reframe from limiting your team from speaking their minds."

"Yondaime-sama?"

"Their minds and ideas are very important to me, whatever is on their mind I want to hear it for myself."

"But they're not factual, it's all hypothetical guesses."

"Which I still want to have knowledge of. I want to know what they think, whether there is evidence or not. I need to know," he said gently. "Keep in mind that a hypothetical guess could prove to be the biggest fact that I could gather and the safer that Konoha can remain while under my watch."

"Apologies, Yondaime-sama," Kurenai said bowing her head in shame.

"It's fine, Hinata-san?"

"U- uh well, I know if a person possesses a bloodline limit they have a dark blue glow in their chakra nervous system but they look tainted, not right."

"Sounds like experimentation," Minato said at once.

Shino decided to put in his findings. "My bugs overheard conversations, they are coming to Konoha for the Chuunin Exams. There will only be three of them and their sensei. I have heard no word on who the sensei was or the name of their Kage, apparently they only use that term which brings me to believe that speaking his name in the air is forbidden."

"Which becomes even more foreboding for us," Minato deduced trying not to sound grim.

They were interrupted by a brisk knock on the door and then it opened before anyone could call them in. Kakashi was standing there with his arms around a faint Naruto who was clutching his head in pain.

"Naruto!" Minato was up, eyes wide as Naruto attempted to straighten. "What happened?" He looked to Kakashi demanding an explanation.

"His Kage Bunshin disappeared. You know what happens when a Kage Bunshin survives longer than two weeks and then poofs away suddenly?"

Minato winced. "Yes, I had forgotten all about that draw back. Most people can't keep a Kage Bunshin alive longer than twenty four hours." He had to stop thinking his son was invincible because he had the devil locked inside.

He took Naruto from Kakashi's arms. The teen moaned and snuggled up close. "I'm – fine," he said with a wince as Hinata bounced up from the loveseat. Shino also got up and Minato placed Naruto down and brushed his hands over the boy's reddened cheeks. "Head hurts, but I'm okay."

"Gaki, you aren't okay," Minato chastised. "You should have told it to disappear after a week. I don't know what I was thinking." How foolish had he been? Nothing was worth seeing Naruto in pain like this.

Naruto smiled. "It's fine. I got some other names for you if you want?"

"When you're feeling better."

"Nah, it's okay. Uh…" he stared back at the man with a wince. "First, Kimimaro, the lone survivor of the Kaguya Clan and the only one to possess their bloodline. Then there's Kabuto's Team Members, Akado Yoroi and Tsurugi Misumi."

Kakashi and Kurenai both started, Kurenai gasped. "But they're Leaf Ninja!"

Naruto shrugged. "Those are the names I discovered. I also got Dosu's team members; Tsuchi Kin and Abumi Zaku." He was resting his head against Minato's chest, feeling a ringing sting behind his ears and a burning explosive sensation behind his eyelids. He shut them tight and grimaced. "Painful."

"Is he alright?" Hinata asked in concern.

Akamaru was sniffing him out in worry while Kiba and Shino observed him.

"I'm fine," Naruto said.

"No you're not," Minato admonished as he grabbed a cushion and shifted Naruto until he was lying down on his side. "Sleep, Naruto."

"Shall I ask Sai to do some digging?" Kakashi asked staring at his student/best friend with a rare expression of concern.

"Yes, please," Minato said with a nod. He remained sitting at Naruto's head, his hand resting on the teen's shoulder.

After he dismissed all the teams, Minato sat by Naruto while he slept and stroked the boy's forehead gently. He ignored any and all meetings that were requested and by the time Naruto came back around it was well into the late evening.

"Welcome back to me," Minato said leaning down to gently kiss Naruto.

Naruto smiled at being greeted this way and slowly sat up with the help of Minato. "I'm sorry, Minato."

"Hush," Minato chastised brushing his thumb along Naruto's lips to get his point across. "It was my fault, I should have told you to vanquish your clone."

Naruto waved his hand. "I wouldn't have listened."

Minato snorted. "Yeah, I somehow believe that."

"I was just tired and a headache, it was way too much information all at once and from so far."

"Don't do that again, okay?"

Naruto didn't agree to that but he did kiss Minato on the side of the mouth in response. Minato grinned as if he could sense what Naruto was thinking and looped his arm around the boy's waist drawing him closer.

"I'm sure you're hungry," Minato said enjoying the warmth against his chest.

Naruto nodded. "Very, I was on my way to Ichiraku's when all this happened."

"Well then, shall we?"

Naruto almost pouted at the thought of leaving the comfort of Minato and raised his head and instinctively nuzzled Minato's chin with his forehead. "Hm."

Minato smiled endearingly and cupped Naruto's cheek, all of his emotions circled around him and having Naruto so close with his lithe body against his heightened those emotions. "Afterwards we can go home and relax," Minato suggested.

Naruto smiled wanly before slowly extracting himself from Minato's hold. As soon as he stood, gravity seemed to wrap it's invisible arms around his legs and pull him down only for Minato to catch him.

"Blood loss," Naruto murmured sheepishly and got a soft chuckle and a kiss to the cheek.

"I'm glad you're okay," Minato said squeezing him.

"I'm always okay," Naruto insisted and poked him childishly in the chin. "Let's go Yondaime-sama, I'm hungry and it'll take an hour just to walk four blocks."

Minato groaned, thinking about the trek through Konoha.

By the time they reached the house, Naruto had rolled his eyes so many times he thought they would get stuck.

Minato rubbed the back of his head. "More than usual, huh?"

"No shit," Naruto grumbled kicking off his sandals and hobbled a bit as he sent one flying and it almost hit a vase. "Well, least they love you and not hate you," he hummed.

"That would be bad," Minato said with a thoughtful smile.

Naruto nodded and collapsed on the couch with a huff. "I'm tired," he whined.

"You're still not fully recovered from your overuse of Kage Bunshin," Minato said meeting Naruto on the couch.

The teen immediately rallied for his lap, placing his head against Minato's thigh. "Hm, hm, rub my head."

"Yes, Master, anything else?" Minato asked as he began to card his fingers through Naruto's hair.

"Plenty but I'll wait for later on that," Naruto murmured.

Chuckling, Minato ran his hand down Naruto's back and up his arms back to his wild hair.

"Hm, that's good to."

"You're so cute, Naruto," Minato said fondly pushing the hair out of the way and bending down to kiss him once more on the cheek. "By the way, Jiraiya-sensei is in town."

Naruto perked and shifted until he was on his back and looking up at Minato. "Pervy Sage? What's he up too?"

"Research," Minato said dryly.

Naruto once again rolled his eyes. "Figures."

"How was the Mission? You guys never did update me."

"We were going to after Ichiraku's. I was starving to death and then all this happened," he said grouchily. "It went well, nothing we couldn't really handle. Kakashi-sensei has the report in more detail than me."

"Obviously, you leave everything out," Minato said poking Naruto in the nose.

Naruto twitched it. "I go in, do it, and get back out. I don't pay attention to miniscule details."

"Yes but you also do unpredictable things that I need to know about, you are the most unpredictable person, I've ever met."

"Good or bad?"

"All good, of course," Minato said affectionately. "But still, I need someone to give me what you leave out."

Naruto snickered at that, his heart thrummed with layers of warmth and a need to pull Minato closer. He sighed and shifted onto his sigh burying his face into the man's toned stomach.

Minato merely held him close and refused to let him go. He knew that they needed to talk about this and about what was going on with the both of them, but everything was so comfortable, so nice, and Minato didn't want to lose it with uncomfortable questioning.

Questions that they both silently knew the answers too but had yet to be stated in the open air and revealed personally to one another.

Minato was still confused, and still felt ashamed, but every time he looked at Naruto that shame would dissolve and it was replaced by nothing else but everything that Naruto was.

oOo

Naruto sighed sleepily and turned on his side instinctively drawing the covers up over his head as the light of the morning shined through the vivid orange curtains stained with black ends. He didn't want to get up, his body complained but his body was so used to early rising that everything on him was waking.

He heard a soft chuckle and the presence of Minato standing over his bed. "Morning, my Naruto, are you waking any time today?"

Naruto moaned and drew his legs up into a fetal position. "Nnn."

The bed creaked and the covers were snatched away by Minato who was already dressed for the day. Naruto grumbled and cracked one eye to see the man's handsome face peering down at him.

"Bed comfy."

"I'm sure it is," Minato said bouncing with his knees playfully. "But the Chuunin Exam instructors and examiners have a meeting in an hour, and don't you have to meet the Kazekage at the gates?" he asked bending down to kiss Naruto on the chin.

"Hm'k," Naruto got out as he rubbed his eyes and shifted onto his back.

Minato sighed and brushed his fingers against Naruto's cheek. "To be honest Naruto, I don't know what I'm doing sometimes," he confessed quietly.

Naruto propped himself up on his elbows and answered Minato's confession with a tender kiss to the lips.

Minato responded back kissing him just a little deeper and sliding his hand around Naruto's neck and pulling him closer.

Naruto melted right into the man's arms as the control of the kiss was taken away from him and he resisted the elicit moan that threatened to break through to the air. It was like nothing Naruto had ever felt before and nibbled Minato's bottom lip savoring the taste.

When at last they parted, Minato smiled slightly. "But you don't really care, do you?"

Naruto chuckled quietly and kissed him on the cheek. "There's much I care about but that's not one of them."

Minato laughed and squeezed Naruto. "Ah, my Naruto, I don't know what I'm going to do with you," he whispered and got an extra kiss for his words.

When Naruto and Minato finally separated, Naruto quickly showered and donned on his Chuunin shinobi outfit with the exception of the vest being orange in color which matching hand and feet guards. The cloak he added was similar to his father's except it was black with orange flames riding up the edges.

He strapped his shuriken pouch to his thigh and waist and added a few sets of stars that were his favorite to throw. He pulled his hair back low as Minato brushed through the large bathroom, he placed a hand on Naruto's lower back and leaned around him for the belt he forgot.

After a quick breakfast the two used the rooftops to move through the city without being stopped along the way. If one looked up they'd see two identical yellow flashes. The two of them landed on top of the Hokage Tower.

Minato took the Protection Jutsu down and the two of them climbed in gracefully.

"Ah, much easier this way."

Naruto laughed and stole the man's chair with a huff. "I thought someone caught us there for a moment."

Minato flashed him a smile as he unlocked the door and opened to see Ino just taking her seat. "Yamanaka-san please let everyone know I've arrived."

Ino gasped when she saw him. "Oh! Of course Yondaime-sama," she said flashing him a brilliant smile. "I didn't see you come in."

"No one did, would you kindly prepare some coffee, tea, and snacks for the examiners and instructors?"

She bobbed her head obediently as he said a quick thanks and closed the door. Naruto was trifling through some of the evil paperwork.

"Did you know Demon Country is asking for a loan?"

Minato nodded. "They are asking for two hundred thousand ryo."

Naruto held up the paper. "It says here it will be paid back in full within the next three years with an interest of twenty thousand per year."

"I don't think we should take that chance, they may be planning something and Sunagakure would be furious if they knew we were helping their enemy."

Naruto chewed his lip in thought. "What about half? I can talk to Gaara-kun for us. Demon Country is huge, it may become something big one day and we don't want them as future enemies."

Minato stepped around Naruto and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Think it is wise? The council won't like it."

"The council doesn't like anything," Naruto said dryly.

"True."

"There might be something in it for us in the long run."

A tap on the door interrupted their conversation, Minato gazed up. "Enter."

Ino came in with a tray and behind her was Ibiki, Anko, Genma, Shikamaru, and Kurenai.

"Kakashi-kun late again I see?" Minato said with a slight smile.

"As usual," Kurenai answered as she took a seat on the loveseat. Anko sat next to her and Shikamaru winked at Naruto before standing against the wall. Ibiki took the chair in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Playing Hokage for the day, kiddo?" Ibiki teased.

"Nope, just being nosy," Naruto said flinging a nonsense paper toward the trash at Minato's vague nod. "I feel sorry for Minato half the time."

Ibiki, Genma, and Shikamaru laughed.

"Haha." Minato tugged on his hair.

"Gekko will be around soon," Genma said popping a senbon needle into his mouth while taking a cup of coffee.

"We've received word that the Kazekage will arrive at noon," Kurenai said crossing a leg and taking the offered coffee from Genma.

Minato nodded. "Naruto is meeting him at the gates, he'll be staying with us until the exams are over."

There was a flash from the window sill and Kakashi appeared with his hand in the air. "Yo!"

"Kakashi-kun, thank you for joining us," Minato said smirking.

"Thank you for having me! I got lost on the road to hell today."

Naruto snickered. "Was it hot?"

"You have no idea," Kakashi said wiping his brow. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing yet, we were talking about the Kazekage which Naruto will meet in a bit," Minato said as Naruto continued to weed through his paperwork with a wrinkle of his nose. He trusted his son when he tossed them away.

"You really don't wanna know," Naruto said straight faced as he crumpled up a paper rather irritably.

"Are you sure it's not important?" Kurenai asked sharply. "You shouldn't throw those away."

Naruto eyed her. "I don't think Minato wants to read anything to do with being offered a twelve-year-old female as a spouse from Bird Country."

Minato's eyes widened in horror and Kurenai goggled while Anko snorted. "The younger the better."

Kakashi chortled. "How much worse can that get?"

"Oooh, it can," Naruto said darkly and stared at the trash can. "A fifteen-year-old girl from Tea Country claims her unborn child is his or the Mist civilian who insists that he is really a Namikaze having been disowned."

"Where do they get those claims from?" Kurenai asked.

"From their asses," Naruto answered before anyone else can causing everyone to laugh but her.

Minato chose not to correct Naruto for his language because he was right. Gekko showed up a few moments later and the meeting began but it wasn't anything Naruto didn't expect.

"I'm not going through a window," Naruto said shortly tossing another message away carelessly. "I have been working on a new shunshin Jutsu, I'll use that."

"Just don't use your Sexy Jutsu," Minato said trying to keep a straight face.

Naruto looked up at him innocently. "Why not? It'd get everyone's attention."

"I'm sure it would but we don't need that kind of attention," Minato said affectionately.

"Ah, well, luckily that wasn't what I was going to do."

Minato had a bag of Heaven and Earth Scrolls. "Naruto, I need you to distribute these. One to each group."

Naruto nodded absently while signing Minato's name perfectly and handing it back to him to check over.

There was talk over preliminaries and then the final matches. "I believe we'll have quite a variety this year; Mist, Grass, Stone, Rain, Wind, Water, and Sound. Not to mention there are quite a few of our own. There hasn't been this many of our own since the original Rookie 9," Minato said with a bit of pride. "We have three repeats and the other six are new Genin."

"Who will be placed as your guard?" Anko asked.

"The duo Sannin: Tsunade-chan and Jiraiya-sensei will take place as my guard along with Uchiha Itachi. I don't believe I need any more than that."

They went over the smallest of details before Ibiki stood and checked his watch. "I believe I should head to the Examination Tower," he said casually. "Got a fresh batch to frighten to death."

"Have fun," Naruto called as Ibiki flashed him a smirk.

"Oh, Naruto-kun, I shall." He disappeared in a puff.

Everyone slowly began to leave, Kakashi being the last as he winked at Naruto and inclined his head. "See you soon!"

Once they were alone, Minato shifted to lean against his desk as Naruto handed him a stack that he couldn't make the right decisions on. "There, most of your paperwork is done."

Minato beamed. "Why thank you Naruto, what do you get out of this?" he asked with playful suspicion.

Naruto chuckled and leaned back and stretched with a yawn. "Oooh, nothing really."

"That doesn't sound convincing."

"I'll think about it later," Naruto said standing and shifting his back till it cracked a bit. "Now, I have to go see Gaara-kun and his siblings."

Minato nodded and placed the stack behind him. "See you soon."

Naruto leaned in and kissed him on the cheek before pecking his lips and disappearing in a flash of yellow.

"Now that was one gorgeous scene," Jiraiya said with a soft sigh.

Minato rolled his eyes and looked over his shoulder at the man who suddenly appeared and was stretched out on his loveseat. "When did you get here, pervert?" he asked sinking down into the warmed chair and lounging a bit.

"Oh, exactly, ten seconds ago," Jiraiya said beaming. "You and Naru-Gaki seem to be doing good."

Minato shrugged. "No justifying it."

"I told you already, stop trying to justify everything Yondaime-kun," Jiraiya said with a snort. "It gets you nowhere but to hell and you can't get back again."

"I think Kakashi-kun could tell you all about hell, apparently he got stuck there."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Sounds like him."

"Anyway, I can't say no."

"Why?" Jiraiya asked.

Minato inclined his head in thought. "Several reasons. For one, I want it but another so does he and I don't ever want to be the reason for a frown to appear on his face. I couldn't bare the idea of pushing Naruto away for something like this. It is what it is."

Jiraiya beamed. "That's my Minato-kun!"

Minato rolled his eyes as he smiled. "Yeah, yeah."

(o)

Naruto resisted a smirk when he flickered into the exam room and with his entrance came a flash of brilliant yellow light that swallowed the place hole before ceasing and when it did they all saw Naruto sitting cross legged on Ibiki's desk with a sideways smile.

"Naruto-nii-san!" Konohamaru waved from the back as Sakura frowned at him.

Others in the room simply goggled as Naruto smirked and waved back.

"Hm," Naruto said scanning the room. "Sixty six began the test and it seems here that thirty are left am I right Ibiki-san?"

"Perfectly right Naruto-kun," Ibiki said with a smirk.

Naruto nodded. "I see, looks like I'm going to have to finish where you left off… the names Namikaze Naruto for those of you who do not know."

"The Yondaime's son?" asked a Grass Nin in surprise.

"Right in one," Naruto said grinning. "Now, let's get on with the second exam rules shall we? Slice the lot of you in half if I can manage it." He glanced once at Kabuto and his team, recognizing each one for who they were and quickly let his eyes play across the room, pausing on Hyuuga Hanabi, Konohamaru, and Sakura.

Naruto noticed that she was sulking and he wondered why?

He hopped off the desk and told them to meet at the area grounds forty-four tomorrow morning at nine and with another flash but this one was bright orange in flame he was gone leaving half of the ninja in the room to ooh and awe.

Naruto felt a rush of adrenaline as he appeared just inside Minato's office with a flash of bright yellow.

Minato blinked a few times trying to get the black spots out of his eyes and chuckled when he saw Naruto sitting on the edge of his desk like he belonged.

"Very nice theatrics, my Naruto," Minato applauded when there was a whistle from behind causing Naruto to stretch his neck a bit to see Jiraiya stretched out on a loveseat and a wide smile across his face.

"Pervy Sage!" Naruto cheered.

"Gaki!"

"When I leave it goes orange. I did my job, now it's up to them to get there in the morning."

"Tomorrow Tsunade-chan will be here," Minato said.

"I haven't seen Tsunade in a while I wonder how much money she's lost?" Jiraiya hummed.

"I'd hate to ask," Naruto hummed as Jiraiya bobbed his head.

"Yeah, it's a good idea not to dig that up, she'd rip me a new one."

Naruto and Minato snickered in unison at the look on Jiraiya's face.

Minato looked over at Naruto, taking him in as he always did. "What are you doing?"

"Coming to annoy you," he said cheekily.

"Hm, you're not doing a good job of it," Minato teased.

"I will later, I'm kind of tired. It's hard keeping up with Gaara's non-existent sleeping patterns."

Minato frowned as he remembered their guest. "I wonder, would Gaara-kun mind if I took a look at his seal? It shouldn't cause him to suffer sleepless nights like that."

"I can ask, I'm sure he wouldn't mind," Naruto said with a light smile.

There was a snore on the other side of the room and when the two blond's glanced over they saw Jiraiya fast asleep and his mouth hanging open.

"I think he's getting on in the years," Minato hummed quietly.

"No kidding, falling out like that? I didn't think we were that boring," Naruto pouted.

"I don't think it has anything to do with boredom Naruto, he's just old."

"So that's why he needs to peep in at women at the hot springs? To keep his youth up."

Minato wrinkled his nose. "You just said something I didn't want to think about Naruto."

Naruto blinked and thought back on his words before chuckling softly. "Oh, yeah… sorry," he squeaked sheepishly.

Glaring playfully, Minato scowled. "You should make it up to me for giving me such a horrifying mental image."

Knowing Jiraiya was asleep, gave Naruto an irresistible idea. He leaned forward and wordlessly captured Minato's lips in a soft supple open mouthed kiss.

A coiling thread of heat wound its way through the both of them as Minato reacted back by slipping one arm around Naruto's slim waist and cupping his cheek and neck affectionately.

Naruto tilted his head to the side, so that he could get a better feel of the man's lips, the soft little ridges along his mouth rubbed smoothly into his.

The 'not-so-asleep' pervert on the couch was still 'snoring' with one eye cracked open.

Reluctantly, Minato pulled back after a little nip on Naruto's bottom lip. "What if we get caught?"

Naruto arched an eyebrow. "We've been caught from the beginning. He's not asleep."

Strangely enough, Minato didn't feel so embarrassed or nervous, he mere gazed over at his sensei who was still pretending to be asleep until he picked up one of his paper weights and chucked it at the old man lying on the couch. It landed on his stomach getting an 'oomph.'

"Ow!" Jiraiya whined as he opened his eyes suddenly. "What was that for?"

"You perverted eavesdropper!"

"That's not fair! You're cute!"

Naruto stuck out his tongue and Minato's eyes flickered onto it, briefly, the idea of biting it had come to his mind and he almost slapped himself childishly in the forehead for such a thought.

"You're a pervert," Minato decided to say while trying to calm his raging thoughts that were heading into the gutter.

"No more than you," Jiraiya chirped wiggling his eyebrows. "You did that right in front of me!" He picked up the paperweight and tossed it in the air. "And what would have happened if this hit my crotch?"

"We would have laughed," Minato and Naruto answered simultaneously causing Jiraiya to pout as the blond's started snickering together.

"So mean!"

Minato turned his attention to Naruto then. "What made you do that in front of Jiraiya-sensei?" he asked curiously.

"I figure you talk to him like I talk to Kakashi."

Minato's eyes widened at that. He hadn't expected that answer. "Kakashi-kun knows?"

Naruto looked away briefly. "He's always known, Minato. He's my best friend, even better than Sasuke. He's to me what Jiraiya-sensei is to you."

Jiraiya beamed. "I'm so touched!"

So, Minato never had a reason to be upset with Kakashi? He thought feeling a thread of relief. All those times that Naruto had stayed out late with Kakashi when they weren't on a mission, it was never anything more than friendship.

"That's nice to know," Minato admitted.

Naruto leaned closer and pressed his nose to the older man's. "Was someone jealous?"

Minato scowled. "I don't get jealous."

"Liar," Naruto and Jiraiya accused at the same time.

"Hey! Don't gang up on me!" Minato grouched.

"You asked for it," Naruto said poking him in the cheek.

Minato tilted his head to the side. "So I did."

---

A/N: There you go. I hope you don't think they're going too awful slow. I wanted to pace this considering the nature of their relationship. I didn't want it to be all out smut, sex, lust type of story even though there will be enough of that soon :P. I really wanted to ground their relationship. =) Hope you enjoy this!