Absolutely Not

18

Naruto sat in the passengers seat of the truck. It felt weird. He's usually driving and alone. Now he's with his dad. He liked it this way better.

"Are you okay with me?" Naruto blurted out. He had to. He needs this closure he needs to hear it from his dad. He needs to know and hear it in a calm scene. When he told his dad everything was happening and they both were so broken.

Minato looked at Naruto he ruffled his hair and patted him on the shoulder. "I am okay with you." Minato wanted to say more. He wanted to apologize for not being there, and for so much more. But he couldn't. But he knows one day he will.

Naruto smiled and turned to the radio. He turned it up and listened to whatever weird pop song was on. He liked music. Music could speak to you and for you.

Naruto was okay. Everything was beginning to turn around. He was starting to be himself and that's all he's ever wanted. But even he knew, he can't bring this new self into the open. No one will understand he'll get beat up. He can't put Sasuke through that.

He's so close to being done for good. He'll just fake it a little longer. Unless of course Sasuke isn't okay with it. Then he'll have to accept himself completely.
But wouldn't that be a good thing. It would be. Right?

"Naruto have you thought about going to see your mother?"

Naruto shook his head "no I'm not going to. I think I'll just write a letter. If she wants to reconnect in the future I will think about it."

Naruto fiddled with the buttons on the door. "Are you going to see her?"

Minato sighed loudly "I'm afraid of what would happen if I did. She's the love of my life but I feel like in a way I'm feeding into her addiction."

Naruto frowned, his eyebrows furred together. "Wait. Didn't she just relapse two days ago?"

"No. She relapsed last year again and then it's been on again off again. Back on track this year until just three months ago. And two days ago she overdosed outside of the church with a group of people."

"No. She's been clean. No we've had conversations she was sober I would've known"

Minato gave Naruto a sad glance "no I'm sorry Naruto. She wasn't clean."

Naruto nodded his head and thought back to all of those moments. She hasn't been home a lot but he didn't think anything of it. Maybe because he liked it better when she wasn't there.

It doesn't matter when she relapsed but that meant she was taking money from his father. Again. Narutos heart dropped.

Did she take his money... again? Did she find it. He saved so much money from odd jobs and that one job he had working as a dish washer. He's been saving his money for at least two years.
But he never looked at it. The less he looks at it the less likely he is to spend it.

Naruto didn't want to think she took his money. She's changed. She wouldn't.
Naruto didn't want to rush his father. They were finally spending time together and he wanted to make it last. No amount of money can ever take these moments.

When they arrived at the store Naruto and Minato got out at the same time. They walked next to each other. It was so obvious that they were father and son. They looked so much alike.