Chapter 7
Minato had long since stopped being surprised to find Kakashi at his front door. He had been coming over as much as he could since the attack, giving the excuse that it was to check on Naruto, but Minato knew it was really to check on him. He wished Kakashi didn’t have those kinds of worries, that kind of experience, but there he was, holding Naruto, helping feed him. He still seemed a little awkward to holding the infant in his arms, but he had really fallen into an older brother role well.
Minato tried reassuring Kakashi that he was okay, that everything was fine, that he was fine, but he was sure the boy could see right through him. Could see the tiredness and sadness in his eyes. He wondered if he had seen the same thing in Sakumo’s. He wondered if he blamed himself.
He had only been a small child.
He still was a small child.
With Kakashi being over so much, it made it easy when Minato suddenly felt the spark of a chakra. He felt himself stiffen, eyes wide. He wasn’t sure if it was true, but no, he knew that chakra, shot through his seal. It had been small, but it was there.
It was there.
He was calling for him.
“Kakashi, I need you to stay with Naruto for a bit—- I have to be somewhere.” He heard Kakashi start to say something, to question what was going on, but he didn’t stick around long enough to hear.
He finds himself amongst trees, hearing the beating of wings as the birds nearby take off, scared by his sudden appearance. He easily spots the three pronged kunai on the ground, wrapping his fingers around it as he stands, looking around. His thumb rubs against the handle, over the seal, as he takes a breath, quietly releasing it. His heart shouldn’t be pounding as hard as it was, but that didn’t stop it fluttering around in his chest.
It’s easy to catch the hint of Obito’s chakra, taking to the branches to find him not too far away, limp on the ground—---
Who was that with him? He seemed to be talking to someone, another voice answering, speaking back, but there was no one else around. Minato lands on the ground, between him and Obito, and he realizes he’s sticking out from the ground, as if he came from the earth itself. He blinks, caught off guard for a moment, but he’s quick to recover.
He had to get Obito home.
Obito felt as if he was floating, but there was warmth. It wrapped around him, softly, gently, soaking into him. It cut through the cold that normally formed into his bones, his heart. He wonders if this is what a lizard felt basking on a rock on a summer afternoon.
All the sudden, the feeling is gone, and he can’t help the dissatisfied grumble that slips from his lips. That coldness doesn’t come back yet, at least, not all at once, and for the first time in what surely must be some time, he feels quite—- relaxed, perhaps? He’s not sure, but he feels himself sinking deeper into the sleep pressing down on him, for once, letting it settle over him and pull him under.
Minato let out a sigh, placing a hand on Obito’s forehead. He had been a little worried when he had first spotted him, but the boy was breathing, just unconscious. No doubt just worn out. He pokes his head out of the hospital room, taking a quick glance around. There was one person in particular he was looking for, and he knew she had to be around here somewhere. He knew he could trust him with her. That if it was Minato asking, she would make sure Obito was okay.
“Ah, Tsunade!” She turns to him, eyebrows drawing together as he approached.
“You know, technically speaking, you don’t have access to that room anymore.”
“Oh. Shit, you’re right.” He felt a little embarrassed, but he quickly brushes it off. “Sorry, but it’s a bit of an emergency.”
“An emergency? Is Kakashi alright? Naruto?”
“Ah,” He smiles softly at her worry. “They’re both fine, I promise. I have a, uh—- special guest in there, and I was hoping to entrust his care to you. But you have to promise no one else knows he is in there.”
Tsunade raises a questioning eyebrow, and Minato sighs quietly, waving her into the room. She blinks in surprise and disbelief at the boy on the bed, snoring softly. A couple of steps is taken towards him before she looks back at him.
“Obito?!”
“Yes.” Minato nods. “I don’t know what happened, but—-” His face darkens, in a way Tsunade doesn’t see very often. “I very much intend to find out.”
Tsunade looks at Obito again, staring at him for a moment. She walks up to the bed, placing a hand on his forehead. He doesn’t feel warm at all. At least, not more than she expected him to. He did look awfully skinny, however. Definitely underweight. The bags under his eye was worrying as well. Malnourished, sleep deprived. Jeez, what had happened to the kid? She gives a quiet sigh, looking at Minato once more.
“He’s going to need to be in here a while.”
“I understand.”
“I’m not gonna allow him visitors for a couple of days.”
“I—-” He blinks. “What?”
“He’s going to need to focus on sleeping and eating. On rest. No visitors.”
“I….I understand.” He didn’t look like he enjoyed it, but he knew she was just doing what she felt was best.
She gives a nod, and Minato can’t help but smile, grateful. He walks up to her, taking her hands in his, giving them a squeeze.
“Thank you, Tsunade. You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling. “You are going to tell the Old Man about this, though, right?”
“Yes.” He’s suddenly a lot more serious, letting go of her hands. “I need to speak with him, so I planned on going after I spoke to you.”
“And Naruto?”
“Is with Kakashi. I don’t plan on being away for much longer, and he should be napping right about now anyways. If need be, Kakashi has one of my kunai. He knows how to call me.”
Tsunade nods and waves him off, and Minato thanks her again before leaving, heading to the Hokage Tower. She glances back over to Obito once more, and she can’t help but sigh again. She feels like she just got herself into a world of trouble. Not that that was anything new with Minato and his team. She just hoped Minato was able to get answers. For now, though, she had an assignment.