Hysterics

13

Kagerou could feel them clinging to him more often. It was weird. Obito had come home a few nights ago crying but wouldn't say why so he could only soothe him. "Promise you'll always be here," He sobbed. 

"Of course I will Obito," Kagerou ruffled his hair as the other looked up at him. The pleading in those eyes had Kagerou weak. Of course, he would never abandon Obito, the thought alone was ridiculous. Even if he and Minato fell into ashes he would grab his son and bolt out of this village never to be seen again. 

'It started as manipulation but now there is genuine love for this bundle in my arms,' Kagerou thought reminding himself that his situation with Minato was roughly the same. "I could never leave you behind, I'll sooner kidnap you than leave this village." 

It made his bundle laugh, his smile still so pure. Bonds were rather foreign to Kagerou, he'd been alone from the start, seemingly materialized as a four-year-old, and wandered out of his village. He only had his name and nothing else but built what he could on top of it. He knew his outlook wasn't the healthiest, but what they didn't know couldn't hurt them and if he had one thing about himself, he and manipulation are star-crossed lovers. 

"Can I call you Dad?" He asked nervously and Kagerou felt a rather protective side of him become revealed. 

"Are you trying to strangle my heart with those puppy eyes of yours?" Kagerou inquired as he cupped Obito's cheeks and kissed his forehead. 

"Partly," Obito admitted softly. "Is it working?" 

"Yeah, partly," He smiled and hugged the boy tighter. "You can call me Dad, I don't mind." 

Obito beamed and hugged the other tightly as well. Minato watched on from a distance, his ears tuned with chakra so he could hear their conversation. He shook his head in disappointment for even entertaining Kushina's notion that Kagerou was trying to replace her through Obito. What was he even replacing? She was just someone who followed him around not even his students. This is nothing more than her trying to drive a wedge between him and Kagerou. 

He didn't like it. He couldn't stand the thought of someone sticking their dirty hands into his relationship. It was his fault for letting Kushina get this far and not rejecting her advances harshly enough. Now she dared to slip her poison into his student's ears when from all angles Kagerou was innocent. His lover had done nothing wrong, only involving himself as much as they wanted him to. He didn't take offense to them being skittish as being Minato's lover didn't mean you get full reign to invade their boundaries. 

He sighed deeply as he recalled Rin and Kakashi's report regarding the incident. It was hard to hear that slander of Kagerou. He wanted to commit bloody murder for his lover. He would take care of her and hopefully, it would make Obito more comfortable to tell them from his mouth. 

***************

"You've overstepped your boundaries," Minato was cold, his icy blue eyes boring into her violet ones. "I've told you countless times Kushina. We aren't going to be together. We will never be a couple. These ideas, I don't even know how you came about to such conclusions. I won't allow you to ruin my relationship with Kagerou!"

Kushina had tears well in her eyes. "Why can't you that we're the ones that should be together? We've known each other since we were kids Minato. You complimented my hair, you've called me cute-" 

"Because I see you as a sister," He countered. "I never did it with romantic intention. I like men." 

There, he said it for the first time. But even though he admitted that he only liked Kagerou's body, his voice, his touch. His eyes didn't wander when around his close male friends, not once but he could barely keep his stare coherent when Kagerou was in view. 

"You're lying!" She yelled, trying to throw herself at him but Minato skillfully dodged her. The last thing he needed was someone catching them like that. Rumors are dangerous, he flaunted Kagerou too much to have his fanbase think he was taking on women now. He didn't want Kagerou to doubt him. "I'll show everyone you're meant for me. You're mine, no one else's." 

She was sobbing hysterically and Minato felt disgust roll in his stomach. "Stay away from me, Kagerou, and my team. That shit you poured into Obito's ear has him crying at all hours at night." 

"But it's true, he's replacing me, he's becoming closer to you guys," Kushina sobbed. 

Minato sighed deeply. It was obvious Kushina wasn't mentally sound and he wondered how much was the Kyuubi's influence. He turned to leave her there, stopping it at the Anbu headquarters so they could detain her for mental evaluation. She would need it. He couldn't deal with her in hysterics. 

He headed home, Kagerou cooking for his team while they were talking amicably at the table. Since Obito had gotten up to scratch as a shinobi it had smoothed out a lot of the tension with Kakashi. He only saw Obito's extreme goofiness as a liability to the team since it provided a high risk of failure. Now that he could match and beat Kakashi his team was in full motion. He smiled at Kagerou wondering how to thank the man for taking Obito under his wing. 

Kagerou served lunch before heading out to the living room, locking eyes with Minato who he knew was watching from an obscure corner that looked in on the kitchen. He kept his voice soft, "Is something wrong?" 

"Kushina seems to be having a mental breakdown. I'll deal with it, I have to ensure the village's jinchuriki is safe and healthy," He murmured as Kagerou backed him to the wall, placing a hand by his head. "What are you doing?" 

"Admiring my protective little lover," Kagerou smirked before his expression became serious. "Truthfully Obito hasn't said anything to me yet. I want to know what bothers him, Kushina did something, said something that brought distress. I just want to ensure that it will never happen again. Whatever she did can you ensure she can never say it to Obito again?" 

'You fool, he was crying for you, your reputation,' Minato smiled. "Of course, I'll lay down the law, our children should be protected. I can tell you what she said, Rin and Kakashi were there and told me what went down." 

"Ah," He sounded. "So that's why they've been so close to me lately. Was it that bad?" 

"You have no idea," Mianto murmured.

"I'll wait for Obito to tell me but thank you for offering."