Well, nothing like a new story, right? Well this happens to be the sequel to These Dreams Are My Reality, if you seriously couldn't tell by the whole "Reality" thing in the title... So if you haven't read TDAMR then you should maybe want to, cause it pretty much is the start of Minato and Naruto's relationship, but I guess it's not all that important if you don't want to.

Rating: T, but could possibly go to M later.

Pairings: Minato/Naruto (established), past mentions of Sasuke/Naruto, side pairings are very possible later on.

Warnings: Incest (which if you read my stories you should know that I write incest a lot), shonen-ai, possible language, violence in later chapters. So, if you do not like something on this list...GO AWAY NOW!

Disclaimer: I really, forseriously, don't own Naruto!

Note: Just a few things I'd like make clear right now, ages are as follow: Minato, 31; Naruto, 17. This takes place a few months after TDAMR, though I'm never going to specify how many, so just make that up yourself. And yes, there are going to be some things that aren't going to be outrightly explained in the first few chapters, so just live with it and enjoy the story.

And now, finally, to Sora Keyblader, this is dedicated to you, which I fear all of my Mina/Naru stories will be, and I have at least one more planned to follow this one. I want to thank you for reviewing TDAMR and encouraging me to write Mina/Naru, let us hope that one day it gets much more popular! ;)

Nonexistent Reality

Chapter one

Blue eyes stared, they studied, they nearly didn't believe what they had continued to see for months. But the blue eyes stayed trained on the blonde that lay sleeping in bed next to him as he sat up, staring down at the man's sleeping form in near disbelief. Tentatively he slowly moved his hand, moved it like he did most every morning, and let it come to a rest on the man's chest, feeling the strong heartbeat underneath the pale skin. "...You're still here..." He knew without a doubt as he whispered the words that the heartbeat he felt was one that shouldn't have been. "...You're...really here..." but by some miracle...it was, and for that miracle he couldn't have been more happy.

But then the blue eyes closed in sadness. "...You're still really here..." he didn't believe that this could go on much longer; he didn't believe that he could go on waking up to see the same man in his bed much longer, even though he wanted to. ...I love you... now his words were only thoughts as he could no longer bring himself to speak, as he wanted to keep this dream alive as long as he could. I love you...so much... and every word that was thought so quietly, in rhythm with his lover's heartbeat was just like a knife piercing his heart. It hurt so horribly. "And I love you, Naruto," the soft words were spoken as a hand was laid upon his own, making him open his eyes slowly to see the same blue as his own.

Silence rung around them for moments as Naruto attempted to calm himself while staring down at the man in his bed, yet it did him no good. "...Minato...?" his voice was quiet and strained as he said his father's name. Minato responded immediately with a questioning hum as he stroked Naruto's hand lightly with his fingers, hoping to make the boy feel better. "...How long... How long will you be here?" A smile passed over Minato's lips for just a moment, the good-natured joking kind of smile that often appeared, especially when he wanted his son to feel better. "Until about nine or a little before." The answer simply caused a deep frown to settle into Naruto's features, making Minato feel instantly bad about what he had said.

"I mean...how long—" Naruto's attempt to get a more serious answer was interrupted with a pat to his hand. "I know what you meant, Naruto," the elder spoke quietly, looking up into his son's eyes quite seriously now. "I will be here until the day you die...or I die... Whichever comes first." Naruto nodded slightly before looking down at the sheets, not wanting to continue the conversation which would lead him to speak of his lover's death, and his own death, which already loomed around every corner he turned it seemed. "You'd better go ahead and get ready... You don't wanna be late meeting with Baa-chan again," Minato nodded but didn't get out of bed. He simply sat up and moved a little closer to the younger while Naruto's hand retracted from his chest.

"Naruto," the boy looked up at him, "I am determined to be here until the day you die. I don't want to leave you." Naruto's eyes shifted back down to the sheets once again as he tried to find his voice. I love you... his words were only thought as Minato's lips met his in a chaste kiss, not allowing him to actually speak them, but he didn't know if he would have been able to anyway. I love you...so much... and with every beat of his heart it felt like the knife plunged itself in further. The pain was just too great. "And I love you, Naruto," the words were whispered against his lips just a moment later before Minato got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.

Blue eyes stared, they studied, they watched the door close behind the man that had been in bed with him moments before. The man that he believed couldn't be around forever, not even if he wanted him to be. "...I don't want you to leave me..." blue eyes closed before Naruto fell backwards onto his back, the pain in his chest growing greater with each beat of his heart.

XxXxXxXxX

His mind was cast away into a much different place as he remained in his seat inside Tsunade's office, pretending to listen to the woman go on, for the third time this week alone, about how much the village needed him. "And if you would just accept this then I know that the village would be much safer." He zoned in and out in his semi-conscious state as he just continued to think about going home, getting as far away from the blonde woman as he could and getting back to his son, who he was just a bit more then a little concerned about. "The Akatsuki are bound to make a move at any time and that is exactly why—" though he didn't hear the rest of her sentence he did finally perk up as the organization was mentioned.

"...The Akatsuki is exactly why I will not accept this, Tsunade," he said quietly but sternly, making the woman purse her lips as she thought of some way to talk him into it. "I understand that protecting Naruto—" he didn't allow her to finish speaking. "No, you don't understand," his protest was soft, "they are after him—after what I sealed inside of him; there is no possible way that this village needs me more than my own son." Tsunade sighed deeply as she attempted to figure out some way to reason with the blonde man across from her.

"Minato... No, don't interrupt; just hear me out," the man closed his mouth and nodded slightly as he leaned back in his chair, waiting to hear just what could possibly leave the woman's mouth now. "Minato, we're not just offering you this position for the sake of the village's safety..." she paused, sighing after a moment as she shook her head. "We think that it would be best...if you and Naruto didn't spend so much time together..." Minato looked at her expressionlessly for seconds, half not believing the words that had left her mouth, but finally he leaned forward in his chair. "...You share their opinion?" his voice was a deathly quiet whisper.

Tsunade shook her head apologetically before speaking, "I've seen how much time you put into your relationship with him; you do nothing but spend time with him—I can barely get you here for a meeting—" Minato stood up abruptly, causing Tsunade to stop speaking as she watched him carefully. "That is because we have nothing more to discuss, Tsunade. I will not accept it, and I will not spend any less time with Naruto. I love him. You and everyone else in this village is just going to have to learn to accept that fact."

The moment after he spoke he turned and left the room quickly, slamming Tsunade's door behind him as he went, slightly enraged by her words. "Minato! Minato!" he could hear her calling for him as he continued to walk away, quite intent on heading straight home to his son. "Minato, get back here!" he heard her heals clicking quickly on the floor as she attempted to catch up with him, and after just a moment he simply stopped and let her catch up. "Minato, what you are do—" he spun around and looked at her, silencing her with just his simple glance.

"Tsunade..." he spoke her name as he calmed himself down. "What I am doing, which you need to understand, is attempting to keep both myself and my child alive. I am not going to take back my title; I am not going to spend any less time with Naruto. What I am going to do, as it is my obligation as his parent and as the person who loves him, is protect him with my life." Tsunade opened her mouth to speak but Minato held his hand up and it kept her silent. "If you, the elders, the village and even the surrounding nations do not accept our love and cannot bring yourselves to understand it then that is something that only you or they alone can deal with by yourselves. I am simply asking that you leave Naruto and I in peace and allow us to go on as we have been."

The Godaime Hokage stood there, half stunned by what she had heard, but half impressed by Minato's words. After the moments of silence passed she simply nodded, "...Do as you please," there was nothing else that she could have said, nothing else that she wanted to say, and so she turned and began walking back to her office. Minato watched her go for a moment before he turned his eyes to the ground and began his walk back home.

XxXxXxXxX

Naruto's eyes were glazed over as he stared up at the ceiling, attempting to push the thoughts from his mind as he continued to lay on the couch, looking most uncomfortable. The thoughts that were bothering him were ones that came much too often, trying to find a home in his mind. They were thoughts of Minato; they were thoughts of death... And every so often, they just happened to be thoughts of the one person who had broken his heart so long ago.

As his eyes continued to gaze up at the white ceiling without actually seeing it, a face appeared in his mind and seemed to dance across his vision. It wasn't the face that he wanted to see, although years ago it would have been. The stoic face that had troubled him on many an occasion stayed in front of his vision field, almost making him think that the other male was with him, although he knew for a fact that he wasn't. For a moment, Naruto allowed himself to stare at the face of the raven-haired teenager who he had long ago given up on, though had not given up his hope in.

...Why do you do this...? his eyes closed as he questioned someone that was not there—someone that hadn't been there for him for over four years. But he wanted an answer; he needed to know why the elder teen hadn't left his thoughts since the day he had broken his heart. ...Why won't you leave me alone, Sasuke? His question went unanswered, as he feared that it would, but it didn't stop him from going on, though he had no reason to. I'm happy now... Happier then I've ever been—happier then I ever was with you... for some reason, a reason which he couldn't comprehend, something in his words sounded forced—sounded like a lie.

Naruto's eyes opened again to stare up at the ceiling, glazed over still, and the blonde was relieved when he found that the face of his betrayer had faded from his vision. He could only stare up at the ceiling in relative peace until another face made its way in front of his eyes, making him smile softly when he saw it. I am happy. It wasn't reassurance, he merely wanted to state it as he looked at his father's face looking down at him. I love you, he found that there was no reason to say the words aloud to someone that wasn't really there, as he knew he surely would've heard Minato come in if he had arrived home. So when a smile appeared on the man's lips Naruto thought nothing of it until those smiling lips were pressed against his own.

The blonde laying on the couch blinked once, then once again as the lips left his, and then he blinked a half dozen times before sitting up slightly, finding that Minato was really there with him, kneeling on the floor next to the couch as he leaned against the piece of furniture. The man looked oddly at his son who continued to look at him for moments before finally accepting what he was seeing and plopping back down. "...Are you okay, Naruto?" an eyebrow was raised in interest for the younger's well-being as Minato saw Naruto nod, knowing that he was being lied to.

"Are you sure?" he didn't want to press the subject that much and make Naruto become overly curious with him, since the boy seemed curious enough at times as it was. "I'm fine, Minato..." Naruto shook his head to clear his thoughts before he continued on, "How was the meeting?" The former Hokage moved his hand and placed it on the center of his son's chest, smiling fondly when he did so. "...I'd rather not talk about it," but he knew that it was no use because Naruto was too interested.

"I assume that you declined to accept back your position as the Fourth Hokage," Minato nodded simply, knowing that Naruto knew better than to assume something that he had told him he was going to do from the very beginning. "When is your next meeting with Baa-chan? Because I know that she isn't going to let you get away with saying no." Minato shifted a bit on the floor and placed his head on Naruto's chest, listening to the beating of the teenager's heart in his ear. "I'm not meeting with her again," he responded quietly, trying to focus on the heartbeat of his son, "She has accepted that I am not going to take back leadership of this village."

Naruto nodded slowly, closing his eyes as he began running his fingers through his father's hair slowly. "Naruto..." the boy didn't reply, but Minato knew that he was listening, "you know you can tell me if something is troubling you, don't you?" he watched his son nod slowly as he continued to listen to his heartbeat. "You understand that I wouldn't be angry with you about anything that you had to say, yes?" Naruto opened an eye slowly and looked down at his father, carefully studying the man's face. "...Where are you going with this, Minato?"

A quiet sigh left the elder blonde as he brought his other hand up, letting his fingertips brush across Naruto's cheek softly. "If something is bothering you...about Sasuke...you can tell me." The sudden spike in the heartbeat he was so focused on listening to instantly gave Naruto away even though the teen remained looking completely calm. "Nothing's bothering me, Minato. Nothing about Sasuke, nothing about anything." Minato tried to not be hurt by the outright lie he was hearing as he nodded. "But if something is bothering you, you'll tell me, right? I don't want you to keep it bottled inside."

A small smile appeared on Naruto's lips before he placed his other hand on Minato's head and slowly coaxed the man into moving forward. "I promise," he began as their lips brushed just slightly, "to always tell you when something is bothering me." Minato smiled and closed his eyes just as their lips met in a chaste kiss. ...I'm sorry... his eyes closed tighter when he heard the thought but he tried to not let his disappointment in his son show in the least as they parted. "I love you," he whispered, attempting to gain some sort of ground in the battle he was losing so easily.

Why are you lying to me, Naruto? As he expected, no reaction of any kind was given after he thought the question and it only made the reality of the situation all the more apparent to him.

TBC...

A/N: Well there you go! I never meant for it to take this long for me to get this up, but I just could never get the chapter working...but here you have it! I think that it's pretty good, if I do say so myself. And just to add one more thing, which I didn't want to put up top since I thought it was getting a little long in the tooth up there, but, if you are wondering, this will kinda follow along with the Invasion of Pain arc in Naruto: Shippuden. So yes, the Pains will be in here, but not Nagato (one day I'll have to put him in a story though...) But that's just for if you were wondering on a sort of timeline, since the Akatsuki was mentioned and all.

Anywho, please review and let me know what you think. Thank you. :)

SandXDemonX13

TTYFTDS