𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑪𝒀𝑶𝑵 𝑶𝑩𝑳𝑰𝑽𝑰𝑶𝑵 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

Academy Days ~ Age 10

"Time passes by quickly".

Minato had once told him that.

Never in a million years did Aizen think that it was true.

The year went by and he wasn't even aware of that.

... The years went by...

Not even a week was left before they were set to graduate...

They were about to become shinobi... They were about to be sorted into teams...

... Aizen was scared, there was no reason to hide that fact... He was practically terrified...

Obito had assured him there was nothing to be afraid of, but he wasn't convinced... Not at all...

_

"Nii-san...". Aizen mumbled out while he nuzzled into Minato's shoulder.

It was late at night and the boy didn't feel like sleeping alone.

"Yeah?" Minato shifted closer to him.

"I'm graduating in a few days". Was what Aizen said.

Even though Minato already knew that, it still caused him to feel an inexplicable kind of sadness.

A sadness he couldn't contain much longer.

How could he? His little brother was going to be fighting in a war he wasn't meant to be in.

A war kids his age shouldn't fight in.

And yet, they will.

"I know... Would you like to do something to celebrate after that? Kushina could join us". Even asking something like that hurt...

It hurt.

He felt Aizen shake his head and his smaller hands gripped Minato's shirt. "I don't think that's something which is meant to be celebrated".

Ah... So even he understood the weight of graduating, eh? As expected of him...

Minato didn't know if he should be proud or not...

"Okay... That's okay, but I still wish to do something for you... What would you like?" There must be something that he wishes for... Anything...

Aizen sighed and Minato glanced at him. The boy's eyes which mirrored his own were open and he was staring at nothing in particular. "Could you... I mean... Would you...", he trailed off and Minato patiently waited for him to continue, "... The jutsu you made... Can you teach it to me?"

Minato blinked, taken aback at the sudden request. Aizen had never seemed interested in that jutsu.

"The... The Rasengan?" Seeing the look in the young blond's eyes, Minato concluded that the boy had been paying attention to what he was doing... Which wasn't always a good thing.

"I... Uh... I secretly watched you practise with it... I hope you don't mind?" Aizen had looked away from him, nervousness radiating off his body in waves. There was no reason for him to be nervous...

"Of course I don't mind! I'll gladly teach it to you!" His lips curled up into a small smile as he watched the nervousness blend into excitement... To be honest, he was kind of surprised he never caught sight of Aizen while he was practising...

He had improved his shinobi skills... That's good...

That's good...

"Really?! Would I be able to learn it before I graduate?" Aizen sat up, a grin on his face. Minato followed suit, his expression mirroring the boy's in front of him.