Six Years Too Long

Chapter 6

Third person pov

The weekend went too fast, spent bonding and cleaning up the bedrooms. Kakashi and Naruto had taken up doing that for the most part, leaving Minato to deal with the other parts of the house so he wouldn't have to watch them dismantle the nursery he and Kushina had never gotten to experience. Naruto was all too willing to help out, rushing about with various cleaning supplies, simply happy to be included. 

It was a rewarding process. It felt like they were breathing new life into the house, bringing it back up to par. It was strangely hopeful. Minato was sure there was a metaphor buried in there somewhere, but hell if he knew where. 

Kakashi had brought his ninken out near the tail end to meet Naruto as a reward for all his hard work. After they'd finished leaping all over Minato, they'd turned to his son with gusto. Naruto's blue eyes had gone impossibly wide, a gasp of absolute awe slipping past his lips as they wagged their tails and cocked their heads at him with open curiosity. 

By the end of it, Kakashi wasn't even sure he could really call them his ninken anymore. They followed Naruto any and everywhere the boy went. If the blonde boy decided he was going to run across the living room and rifle around the kitchen cabinets, you could bet there'd be seven sets of paws scurrying after him across the hardwood floor. 

Pakkun was the only one who didn't race after him, but that was probably because Naruto seldom ever put the pug down. Kakashi found it too cute to feel all that betrayed. Minato didn't share the sentiment. His son had just been stolen from him! By a pack of supercharged chakra mutts! His ego was never going to recover.

They didn't get out too much unless it was to explore the expansive backyard. If they needed anything from town, Kakashi sent a clone or went himself. He was helpful like that, wanting to do anything possible to contribute. His sensei was still adjusting to this new life, coping with his son's age and all he missed out on, and with the loss of Kushina. 

It was a lot to get used to. Even Kakashi still couldn't believe it, sometimes unable to stop himself from zoning out just... staring at his sensei. Kakashi's heart had never felt fuller. He knew sometimes all it could take was a second for everything to turn around, but this was just-- he'd never had luck like this before. 

Sometimes it felt like bad thing after bad thing haunted Kakashi. Sometimes, he wondered if he was the cause. He was the common denominator, wasn't he? He got close to someone and suddenly they'd die-- his dad, and then Obito, and then Rin, and then Sensei and Kushina. 

Except he'd... he'd come back. So maybe Kakashi wasn't as cursed as he'd grown to think.

The news that Minato was back and alive spread like wildfire throughout Konoha. Kakashi heard it everywhere he went. Spirits were noticeably lifted, people unfurling like blooming flowers at the thought of their esteemed Fourth Hokage returning. 

Minato was powerful, and kind, and everything they'd ever wanted in a leader. His loss had devastated everyone and brought a sense of insecurity down upon the village. It felt like their safety had returned, blanketing them all in a relief they'd desperately needed. Minato Namikaze had returned from beyond the grave! He'd risen above it all!

Not even the great Kyuubi no Kitsune could keep him down. Even after years of absence, he had made his way back to them and was ready to lead them again. It was everything they ever could've dreamed of. A true miracle, even six years later.

There was some disbelief, but it was dashed quickly. Shikaku spread rumors as was necessary, and the Hokage made a few public statements that weaseled their way into the daily papers and onto the few radio stations Konoha had. Talk of a ceremony to celebrate his return to life rushed across the village like a crashing tidal wave.