Chapter 27
Keigo was perfectly calm as he waited in the Academy courtyard for his little brother to come out of his genin exam.
Screw it, he was completely going crazy with anxiety.
Not that he didn't believe in him but Naruto had a habit of getting distracted and speaking out of turn, things that weren't very good on an exam.
He knew that if Naruto concentrated he would make it, they had trained together for weeks for this very day. Despite this, Keigo continued to walk around the courtyard, impatiently waiting for the children to start coming out.
"I remember when it was your turn" Minato spoke from his place near the wall. He had a melancholic look, lost in memories.
Keigo looked at his father who had managed to take a few hours off to surprise Naruto.
"You were so little compared to the other kids but your smile was the brightest as you ran out that door and straight into my arms"
Keigo remembered the day he became genin, now fifteen years ago.
At just seven years old he was the smallest of the group, but he was still at the top of his class after only a year spent at the academy.
When he had earned his forehead protector, he had run out the doors of the building straight into the waiting arms of his parents. He remembers the pride evident on their faces.
"Oh, how happy Kushina was with your accomplishments" his father continued.
Keigo didn't have time to respond because with a bang the door to the academy opened and the children began to flow out.
The happiness of those who had made it was loud but never as loud as the scene his little brother made.
"I DID IT" Naruto shouted as he threw his arms in the air from the top of the stairs, "NARUTO UZUMAKI IS A GENIN, FOLKS"
Keigo was overflowing with happiness, so much so that it made him breathless.
Seeing his little brother running towards him and their father with a smile lighting up his face and the band in his hand left him speechless.
After hugging his father, Naruto threw himself at him, his arms wrapping around his waist, Keigo wrapping him in turn.
"Mom would be so proud of you" Keigo whispered to him.
"And you? Are you proud of me too?" Naruto asked him back, leaning back to look him in the eyes.
"The proudest" Keigo reassured him with his voice cracking with emotion.
Keigo couldn't believe that Kakashi had been chosen to be Naruto's sensei.
"Dad is getting revenge for everything you put him through when you were little" Keigo chanted to Kakashi.
He was lucky, due to the lack of new genin, he hadn't been chosen as jonin-sensei for one of the teams.
"You'll have a lot of fun with D ranks" he remarked.
"You little s-" Kakashi lunged at him trying to grab him but Keigo ran away with laughter.
They chased each other like two children through the streets of the village until Kakashi caught up with him and lifted him onto his shoulders like a sack. Keigo punched his back a couple times before giving up.
"When you have your team I'll be the one laughing" Kakashi told him, "and I hope they will be terrible children"
God, Keigo loved him so much.
Keigo had left on a mission at the same time as team seven and so had missed the start of the first trip out of Naruto's village. A C-rank mission would take just under two weeks, so by the time Keigo got home Naruto and Kakashi would have been home for a few days.
Keigo returned from his mission from the land of lightning a few days late due to some skirmish with a missin-nin. When he entered the hokage's office to deliver the report scroll his father's face was dark, lines of tiredness pulling at his face.
"Which of the old mummies is bothering you" Keigo joked trying to cheer his father up.
"There was some problem with team seven's mission" Minato said.
All the joy drained from Keigo and his feet felt like stone.
"The mission went from a C-rank to an A, the client lied but team Seven decided to continue the mission"
"I'm leaving immediately as reinforcements, we can't think of leaving three genin there" Keigo was a whirlwind of activity, while a moment before he was blocked by fear, now despite having just returned from his own mission and the tiredness he felt he was ready to leave again to bring help to Naruto, Kakashi and their team.
"It won't be necessary, they can manage on their own" his father stopped him.
Keigo looked at him angrily and seeing no way to change his mind he stormed out of the office.
Every day for the next week Keigo waited at the border wall for their return.
On the eighth day Kakashi's familiar lightning chakra and Naruto's blast of heat appeared at the edge of his senses.
He had to wait a short while before he saw the figures of three children and an adult appear on the horizon. When they arrived at the entrance to the walls Keigo jumped down from where he was perched to land in front of Kakashi before tackling him in a breathless hug and a loud kiss on the mask. The same treatment was given to his little brother.
"I was so worried" Keigo whispered to Kakashi that evening as they lay tangled in bed.
"I was too, protecting the kids and bringing them home was my constant thought" Kakashi admitted back.
"Keigo, we both know there's always the possibility of not coming home" Kakashi's voice was now serious as he turned to face him, "the thought of leaving you alone is unbearable and even though I know I can't promise to return, I can promise you my heart forever"
Keigo's heart was beating wildly, Kakashi looked at him with such love that it took away his words.
"So, my dear Kei would you honor me to also have your heart forever by marrying me?"
Keigo's emotions were all over the place, Kakashi had taken the words out of his mouth, so he leaned in for a kiss as he nodded furiously with tears in his eyes. Of course he would marry the love of his life.
Keigo, self-proclaimed super secret bearer, of course spilled the beans about the upcoming wedding to Tenzou and then to Naruto who proceeded to yell which led to their father finding out.
Both he and Kakashi had decided on a small ceremony by the river. For the preparations Keigo had only had to tell Yoshino before she took everything into her hands, forcing Shikaku to roll up his sleeves to help her.
With all of their extended family helping out the wedding day arrived quicker than expected.
Keigo had slept in the tower and then calmly got ready in the morning.
He was in his old bedroom trying to tie his ceremonial kimono properly. It was a sea blue with the clan symbols in orange.
"Do you need a hand?" His father's voice made him look up from the cloth he was trying to tie. With a grateful smile Keigo nodded.
His father did his duty quickly, then turned him around to face him and placed his hands on his shoulders.
Unshed tears rolled into his eyes.
"My little Keigo" His father's voice was shaky but contained happiness.
"Come on dad, I'm twenty-three, I'm not little anymore" Keigo complained just for fun.
"The first time I saw you you were so small in my arms, so fragile but when you opened your eyes and looked at me it was just that moment that my world truly began to spin" his father continued speaking, "I knew I would sacrifice everything for you"
Now Keigo also had tears in his eyes.
"You're three times the man I'll ever be, and I'm so proud of you bubba" Minato surrounded his elder in his arms, Keigo was now taller than him, but he will always remain his baby.
"And mom would be even more so"
Keigo and Kakashi were officially married, Minato officiating, in the family seats for Keigo were Tenzou and Naruto and for Kakashi, Obito and Gai. To assist the Nara and Sarutobi.
Small and intimate just like they wanted it.
For lunch they had spread a simple blanket on the lawn and now they enjoyed a picnic.
"Sorry, I would like to say a couple of words" Tenzou cleared his throat, "Keigo is the brother I never had and my best friend, no one knows me like he does and vice versa, for the last thirteen years he has been my constant"
At that point he stopped to turn to look Kakashi in the eyes.
"Senpai, I hope you enjoy growing old with him as much as I enjoyed growing up with him"