Year 1
Chapter 1: Year 1
Deep in the forests just outside Konoha in an old ANBU hideout covered in incredibly complicated seals and secure barriers crafted by the future Yondaime himself, was Uzumaki Kushina
“Agh! Minato you fucking- fuck!” Minato ignored Kushina’s choice of words, his focus completely on maintaining the Kyuubi’s seal.
“Bird! Hot water now”, Biwako ordered to the ANBU serving as the nurse aide.
“ Kushina, you need to push now”, Biwako watched as a small head of scarlet began to push through.
“Im trying!” Kushina sobbed out grasping the edge of the bed to ground herself.
Minato glanced at Kushina, the amount of pain she was feeling made his chest ache, “You got this dear-“
“Shut up it hurts ya know!”
“Focus on the seal Minato!”
Minato gulped as both women yelled at him, and wow this seal is unravelling worse than he thought.
—
Kushina gave birth August 22nd, during the fourth year of the Third Shinobi World War.
Kushina shivered as Minato pressed his hands firmly to Kushina’s stomach ensuring the seal was set in place, his chakra flowing at a steady rate. “Kushina-san its a girl” Biwako walked towards her slowly with the baby swaddled in a clean cloth. Kushina felt her eyes well up, watching her baby wail. Which while distressing, wouldn’t take away from the fact that the baby had her hair and Minato's eyes and the cutest little nose! Are those little whiskers-
“What shall her name be Kushina-san?” Kushina made eye contact with a very focused Minato whose eyes softened upon the sight of her.
“Nozomi”.
Biwako nodded in approval, “That is a beautiful name.”
Minato glanced at the small body of life resting in his wife’s arms. For Nozomi was a hope for the future- their future , a peace that he was determined to create no matter the cost.
Nozomi’s birth occurred without a single hitch.
-
Kushina was banned from taking any missions for 6 months to take care of the baby, while Minato was off fighting at the borderlands of Fire and Lightning.
She sat in the rocking chair gifted by friend Mikoto, who had also welcomed a baby boy this year, Nozomi soundly asleep.
Sometimes Kushina would just cry at how happy she was to have a family again, she’d wish for it all the time when she had first came to Konoha, and even more when Mito-sama passed away.
Yet at 20 years old it seems Kami had decided to give her little Nozomi as a gift. Her chest ached as she thought about how by the end of the six months she would then be reinstated and brought to the frontlines, Biwako-sama and a group of ANBU would then be responsible for the care of Nozomi when Minato and Kushina were away. She could only hope for the end of the war to come even sooner.
-
A four month old Nozomi watched in awe as Minato formed a mini Rasengan in front of her face, “Look Nozo-chan! It's a pretty blue ball”
From the other side of the kitchen, Kushina sighed “Minato could you please feed her? Instead of showing off your jutsu-“
“Kushina! You won’t believe the amount of lightning shinobi I took down with this! Maybe if I develop it even more it’ll-“ Minato suddenly felt a wave of killing intent.
“No talking about war around the baby! You’ll taint her innocent mind!” Kushina waved the wooden spoon she was holding dangerously.
Nozomi burst into tears overwhelmed by the negative feeling of the chakra, Kushina spluttered hastily throwing the plate onto the counter, before rocking her softly(?) in her arms.
Minato wondered in concern, “ would a baby be okay after being shaken so vigorously like that? ”
-
Minato had a couple days away from the battlefield to further improve the Hiraishin, it was doing incredibly well however the ride between jumps was a little rocky and that needed to be quickly remedied.
A 7 month old Nozomi sat in his lap, a teething ring grasped in her palm.
“Say- Nozo-chan you think the kanji should go in this corner, or should it be under this spiral?” Minato mumbled not quite expecting Nozomi to respond.
“Ba.”
Minato stilled slightly his brush hovering above the ink he was about to dip it in, he turned Nozomi slowly in his lap “What was that nozomi?”
He stared into her sharp indigo eyes and watched as she pulled the teething ring out of her mouth- almost exasperatedly- “Ba!”
He smiled at Nozomi cradling her to his chest, because “ba” is totally a first word and Kushina was definitely going to be so jealous once she finds out.
Minato’s expression sobered slightly, “I wish your mom was here to hear you say that Nozo-chan”.
“Ba!”
His kid is a genius- still need to figure out that kanji though.
-
This time was one of the times where Hokage-sama needed both of them out on the field, leaving Nozomi in the care of Biwako and a few ANBU.
Nozomi giggled as the masked person dangled from the ceiling before jumping away just out of her reach, “Tiger-san please be a little more cautious around the child”, Biwako scolded.
“Hai, Biwako-sama”, Tiger jumped back into the ceiling returning to his post.
Tiger was a new recruit tasked with sensitive missions, but apparently according to the commander not quite ready for matters outside of the village, the agent’s job was mainly in guarding important guests/ people and doing perimeters along the leaf’s wall. It was kinda boring, if he was being quite honest. However Minato was rumored- well heavily suggested to be the next Hokage. Thinking about it that way, watching the future Hokage’s child was definitely more dignified than just plain old babysitting.
At least, that’s what he told himself.
Biwako watched as Nozomi stared at the ceiling waiting for Tiger to jump down slowly becoming upset as he never did.
“Okay Nozomi let's go take a walk outside.”
Sarutobi Biwako likes to think she has fully- well not quite, she hasn’t had any grandchildren but once she does maybe she can be completely content. As she hugs the baby to her chest, surrounded by the beautiful variation of flowers and greenery around the compound, that this must be what it will feel like. Her youngest was already a genin off fighting in the war, while her oldest has already been indoctrinated into ANBU as a Jonin.
The innocence in Nozomi’s eyes as they wandered the beautiful garden full of vibrant colors, earned a small and sincere smile from Biwako.
A butterfly with wings the same color as the color of Nozomi’s hair landed lightly on her shoulder, the small child looked at it in wonder.
“That’s a butterfly Nozomi”, she watched as it fluttered away into the distance.
She was a tough woman and has lived through two wars before this one. Yet, Biwako wondered if war will ever cease, for her children’s sake and for the one in her arms.
-
The war had entered a period of not quite peace but a moment for the hidden villages to regroup and strategize as the Leaf has entered a stalemate with Iwa. Both were losing massive amounts of shinobi yet neither seemed to be gaining an advantage.
This is also what gave Team Seven the chance to meet their sensei’s baby, on her 1st birthday.
“Kushina-san, she looks just like you!” Rin exclaimed, raising the child slightly to the ceiling earning a small giggle. Kushina chuckled, “Minato says the only thing she got from him was the shape of her eyes and nose.”
“Now that you mention it I do see it-“ Rin’s voice faded away softly as Obito focused just on her.
Obito blushed looking at Rin interacting with the baby. After all she was really great with kids, which was expected because Rin was nice, funny, caring, nurturing, beautiful-
“Would you like to hold her, Obito?” Rin nudged him, thrusting Nozomi into his arms, knocking him out of his daze. Obito awkwardly cradled the baby- Nozomi bursted into tears.
Kakashi scoffed, “She’s probably scared of your ugly ass face-“
Obito scowled, “Shut up bakashi! You hold her then asshole”, pushing her into Kakashi’s arms.
Nozomi paused in her crying to look up at Kakashi’s face, she brought her hands to his face curiously feeling his mask, despite Kakashi trying to maneuver away.
She then unceremoniously stuck a finger in his eye, as it was the only part of his face not covered.
“GAHH!” Kakashi screamed out, “Get her away from me!”
Kushina and Rin laughed as she moved to grab Nozomi out of his arms, “She definitely got you Kakashi”
“Yeah well I didn’t think a baby would attack me…”
Ron made eye contact with Obito, pointing with her eyes towards Nozomi. Obito furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before Kakashi coughed, “The gift you idiot-“
“Oh! Minato-sensei, we have a gift for Nozomi-chan!” Minato smiled “Thanks you guys! Obito, you should give it to her, she should be calmer now.”
Obito hesitantly approached Nozomi who sat in her mother’s lap, “Here you go Nozomi-chan, we hope you like it”, he kneeled before her presenting her gift as if it was an offering to kami. Nozomi grabbed it before manhandling it in confusion, Obito chuckled, “Like this Nozomi-“ making a ripping gesture. Nozomi copied the movement (because genius baby duh!) before giving into the excitement as she saw a toy inside. Nozomi held the stuffed lion triumphantly in the air. Kushina watched as Nozomi smiled so brightly, squealing in excitement hugging the lion close.
-
After a few hours Team Seven said their goodbyes, Minato and Kushina watched as Nozomi happily devoured a slice of cake.
Kushina perked up, opening the door before the other person could knock- “Mikoto!-“ the woman in question paused with her hand raised in a knocking gesture.
She gasped, peeking at the boy she carried on her hip, “Is that little Itachi?” Kushina smiled at the shy boy who hid his face in his Mother’s neck.
“Sorry we were late… Itachi took a nap and then Fugaku just arrived from the field-“ Mikoto started before Kushina was pulling them inside.
“Don’t even worry about it -ttebane! Nozomi-chan was in the middle of eating her cake. Minato smiled, giving a soft wave, “Hello Mikoto-san thank you for celebrating with us!” before he continued wiping the mess on Nozomi’s hands. “Hello Minato, thank you both for welcoming us into your home” Mikoto nodded politely.
“Oh! We’re so happy to have you! I’ve been wanting for Itachi and Nozomi to meet!” Kushina’s eyes sparkled at seeing her child interact with someone her age, with both her and Minato going back and forth from the battlefield and Konoha. Nozomi’s only companions have been her parents, Biwako and ANBU- and wasn’t that just sad.
“Come on Nozo-chan! You can show Itachi your new toy!” Nozomi stared longingly at the unfinished cake sitting on the table as Kushina whisked her away.