Chapter 2

"MIIIINAAAAATOOO!"

Kimiko shifted from foot to foot, peering up curiously at the large building before her. Kushina had dragged her straight to some house, her's and this Minato's apparently, and then disappeared into said house. It was actually more like a mansion than a house, it looked two stories at least but Kimiko knew it was just tall.

"MIIIIIIINAAAAATOOOOOOOO!"

Cream coloured bricks, rather large with an archway and a picket fence around the lush garden. It was all rather impressive, especially for someone like Kimiko who grew up in a simple orphanage, she seriously expected some waterfall or fountain to pop out of the ground and some butler to greet her.

This 'Minato' who Kushina gushed so fondly about was still a complete stranger to Kimiko, not that Kushina wasn't as well, and she knew next to nothing about him. All she knew was that he was Kushina's fiancé and some big shot shinobi.

"MINATO! GET YA ASS OUT HERE!"

Kimiko tugged on the collar of her jumper, feeling a cool breeze glide in as she waited patiently for Kushina. Apparently this 'Minato' was not home. After a few minutes of nothing but the sound of heels clicking on tiled flooring Kushina emerged, hands on her hips and her face red.

"Jeez, only he would just bugger off without telling me," Kushina fretted, muttering more to herself than Kimiko. "Ya hungry?" She looked down at the child.

Kimiko shook her head dully, "Thanks but i'll pass." 

Kushina frowned a bit but didn't comment on it, "Come on, i'll show you where you'll be staying." Leading off with the little girl trotting softly behind her.

Kimiko could only gape as she entered the house, it was just as lavish as it appeared on the outside if not more. From a white tiled floor, white walls and golden hanging chandeliers it seemed to be a home belonging to some fancy lord.

"Like it?" Kushina cracked a grin, "Minato is good at what he does and the Uzumaki clan is seriously loaded. Remember, what's our's is your's. So ya enjoy, kay?"

Kimiko nodded dumbly, still staring up in wonder at the extravagant house, Kushina chuckled a bit before the two took off walking down the hall.

Kushina had noticed the child wasn't as talkative as when they were in the hospital, not that she was that talkative back then either, but it was still more than what she was now. Kushina was willing to bet Kimiko was actually a friendly girl but when you're that young and go through something like that it's bound to fuck you up.

Kushina could understand how the girl felt, for she could remember the Kumo-nin that tried to take her, almost succeeding, if it weren't for Minato than Kushina wouldn't be here — which makes it almost fate that Minato was the one to find and save Kimiko from a future that Kushina herself once faced.

That's why Kushina was making it her personal mission to make Kimiko feel as at home as she can, to feel like she's safe and not alone — like she's wanted, because she is. Kushina is ecstatic to another girl in the house and another Uzumaki in the village.

Kushina only has to watch out for some people, she has to protect Kimiko from the vultures in the council.

"Aaaand here we are!" Kushina announced, coming to a stop in front of a room.

A simple white door, it was next to the bathroom and across from the master bedroom, down the hall was the kitchen and next to that was the living room. It was practical, in Kushina's opinion. The house didn't actually have that many rooms, they were just big with windy hallways in-between.

"I'll let ya get comfortable," Kushina told her, smiling. "Minato will be back later so ya can meet him then, kay?"

Kimiko nodded, opting not to answer as it was not needed. Kushina just ruffled the little girl's hair before taking off down the hall again, Kimiko watched her go before turning back to the door and opening it. The room was simple, not too much but not too little.

It had a king sized bed pressed up by against the window, a brown wardrobe by the foot of the bed and a simple desk parallel to the bed and window. Everything was rather plain but Kimiko preferred it that way. She entered, closing the door behind her before walking over to the wardrobe.

It was empty, like she assumed, and the desk was lined with a thin layer dust. This must have been the guest room that was never used. 

Kimiko walked over to her bed and sat down, it was actually quite comfortable. If she had things she'd be unpacking but unfortunately all she brought with her to Konoha was the clothes on her back...which were gone so now she didn't even have that.

"Home sweet home, I guess." Kimiko let out a tired sigh, throwing her arms out and flopping back onto the bed, sinking into the mattress.

Feeling her eyes grow heavy, Kimiko thought back to all that had happened. She had certainly had a wild past week, yet it felt like it had only been a couple of hours. Kimiko had been awake in the hospital for not even five minutes before she was whisked away, the sun setting as she was brought to her new home.

Although it wasn't home, her home burnt down. 

But when Kimiko thought about it...did she ever really consider the orphanage her home? No, of course not. Home was wherever your loved ones are, Haruka used to say, and as cheesy as it was — she believed her. Which is why Kimiko lost her home when she lost Haruka.

'Life is about to become that much more insane...and I cannot be fucked dealing with any of it.'

Before Kimiko knew it, she had fallen asleep.

::

"Welcome back!"

Kimiko grunted, shifting a little on the bed.

"I'm back, sorry for running off like that. Hokage-sama needed me...there was a few problems down east." She heard a voice mutter, she didn't recognised it but at the same time it seemed a little familiar.

"I hope everything is okay.." That was Kushina's voice, she knew that much. Kimiko grunted a little louder, wanting to open her eyes but not quite finding the strength.

"Yeah...just a small raid, sent out a team of Jonin and now we're just waiting on good news, how long have you been home?"

Kimiko was beginning to stir now, breaking away from half-sleeplessness to complete conscious, she only needed to find the energy to move.

"Few hours, since sunset...are ya sure everything is alright?"

Kimiko heard a sigh before the familiar voice spoke again. "It's fine, Kushina, everything is going to be alright."

"Everything is going to be alright."

Kimiko's eyes snapped open. She knew that voice! It was the kind voice! The one who rescued her from the Kumo-nin and brought her back to Konoha!

'Why...why is he here?'

She sat up a little, feeling her body ache in protest and the blanket slip off her — where did this blanket come from? — and the instant absence of warmth.

"You're right...i'm just a little tense, ya know? After I heard what happened to Ko-chan, well, it just brought back old memories."

Kimiko pulled the blanket off of her completely.

"Ko-chan?"

She gently swung her feet round, touching the ground before standing.

"Kimiko I mean, thought I'd call her Ko-chan, cute right?"

As quietly as she could, Kimiko walked over to the door, it was cracked open just a smudge which was odd considering Kimiko did shut it when she entered. Too busy to care, she just peered through the gap.

"I...suppose, Kushina I actually need to talk to you about that."

Across from her room was the master bedroom where the conversation was taking place, the door was halfway open with Kushina sitting on a bed that Kimiko could only see a bit off and a man standing just a little off to the side of the door.

"About Ko-chan?" Kimiko could now see Kushina's face and she looked confused. "Why? What's wrong, Minato?"

Minato, Kimiko guessed, was the tall man standing nearest the door, she couldn't see his face, only the blue clothes on his back and his head of thick blonde hair.

"I don't think Kimiko-chan should stay with us."

Kimiko frowned.

"Why not?" Kushina didn't sound nor look happy about this.

"What Kimiko-chan went through is terrible, I know, but she is a stranger and could even be a possible threat. Kumogakure is smart, they wouldn't have allowed Kimiko-chan go free without immense resistance. Running? Kumo-nin never run, especially when there is something to gain and Kimiko-chan is definitely that. I brought her back to Konoha for safety but that doesn't mean we can rule out every other option, she could be anyone for all we know."

'So he is the one who saved me...' Kimiko frowned, watching Kushina's blank expression as she listened.

"I can talk to Hokage-sama in the morning, we can find her somewhere nice and comfortable for her to live, but I don't think here, and especially around you, is where she should be staying."

Kimiko sighed, taking a step back away from the door and closing it quietly, done listening to such a conversation. She walked over to 'her' bed and looked out the window, the full moon bright and shining down.

She was suddenly reminded of the children in the orphanage as they screamed freak, running away from Kimiko like she was some sort of monster, and maybe she was.

This was nothing like that time and yet Kimiko still felt the same sense of emptiness when she heard Minato speak just as when she heard them scream freak.

Maybe he was right, maybe she wasn't supposed to be here. Konoha wasn't her home, her home was gone and it seemed she couldn't find a new one here. To be at home once more...maybe Kimiko would have to look somewhere else.

'I guess...Konoha just wasn't mean to be my new life.'

Kimiko looked back up at the moon, sighing, taking one last look around the room before ripping the sheets off the bed and turning it into a makeshift cloak for the cold. Climbing onto her bed and walking over to the window, she fiddled with the hatch until she managed to pop it open, the cold wind rushed in and Kimiko felt her hair and new cloak fly back against the current.

She glanced back at the room, face blank. 'Thanks...Kushina, I owe ya one.'

And with the final thought Kimiko leapt from the window, landing on the grass softly before breaking out into a jog, not looking back as she ran out into the night.

::

"I can talk to Hokage-sama in the morning, we can find her somewhere nice and comfortable for her to live, but I don't think here, and especially around you, is where she should be staying."

Kushina stared up at Minato, blinking. "Are ya stupid?"

Minato sighed, taking a seat beside his fiancé and taking her hands in his. "I know you wanted to help her Kushina and so do I...but I'm thinking of us and the safest option. It's for the best, and Kimiko-chan will be fine...it's just better she be fine somewhere else."

"Ya really are stupid, Minato." Kushina told him. "If ya think i'm gonna abandon that little girl."

Minato opened his mouth to speak but Kushina cut him off. "Nah! I'm talking now, ya shut it!" Minato smiled nervously at her words but stayed quiet. "Ko-chan is staying with us and that's final! I don't care about some dumb 'safety' bullshit! Ko-chan is family and I won't abandon her!"

"Kushina, just because she is an Uzumaki doesn't make her innocent."

"I ain't talkin' 'bout that!" Kushina sighed, frustrated. "Yeah she's an Uzumaki so yeah she's family, but it's goes deeper than that! Ko-chan is more than just family now! More than just blood! We can't just leave her all alone, I won't let you!"

"...besides, Hokage-sama assigned her to ya so ya ain't got a choice." Kushina added the last part with a smirk.

Minato sighed. "Alright, I cave. You win." He was surprised he even lasted this long, as all their arguments end with either her winning or him receiving the 'silent treatment' for the next bazillion years. "Kimiko-chan can stay with us."

Kushina grinned cheekily. "Did ya really think ya could win with that one?" Minato shrugged, "Not particularly. Although, I wasn't actually serious."

"Wait...what?" Kushina blinked.

Minato just smiled. "Do you really think I'd abandon a child, one of your family no less? I wanted to see how serious you were about taking care of Kimiko-chan, raising children isn't easy." Kushina growled a bit, "You could've told me, ya git!"

He smiled wider. "Then it wouldn't have been a surprise!"

Kushina was about to blow up in his face over his cheekiness when she stopped, tilting her head. "Wait...raising children?" She thought back to what he said.

"Well, Kimiko-chan is five and will likely need a lot of care and attention."

"Yes but my Ko-chan is special!"

"My?" Minato teased. "You've only known the girl for a day."

"Ah well, spiritual bond and all that." Kushina grinned, "Plus us Uzumaki are just the greatest, ya know?"

"Don't I?" He smiled before adding, "But I do think we should be careful."

Kushina groaned. "Not this again, Minato! She's a kid for pete's sa-"

"No not about Kimiko-chan," Minato shook his head. "The girl is harmless, couldn't hurt a fly. No, it's the Kumo-nin i'm worried about...they shouldn't have given up so easily."

"Maybe you scared them off?"

Minato leaned back a bit. "I may be sensei's student but I'm just another Jonin, no group of that skill and size would flee at the sight of me...so why did they?"

"Ya think they'll come after her again?" Kushina's eyes narrowed. "They stopped coming after me."

"You are an official Konoha citizen...Kimiko-chan is not. You have many allies here in Konoha but Kimiko-chan has no one."

"She has us." Kushina told him, gently grabbing his arm.

Minato placed his hand over her's. "I fear that might not be enough..."

"We shouldn't worry too much right now, we'll know eventually." Kushina sighed, looking off to Kimiko's room only to find the door closed, her eyebrows knitted. "Go check on Ko-chan."

Minato looked up, hearing the seriousness in his fiancé voice and seeing her expression, he knew there was no room to argue — not that he was going to — and stood up. Walking over to her room, he heard Kushina walk into the hallway as he opened the door.

"Ah...Kushina?"

Kushina edged forward a bit, "Yeah?"

"Is she supposed to be in the room?"

.

.

.

"...what?"

::

Minato let out a tired sigh, basking in the cool breeze as he walked the streets of Konoha. He had just spent a full five minutes calming down Kushina who was currently freaking out over Kimiko's disappearance.

Kushina barely knew the girl but she already felt responsible for her, and it wasn't just because they were family anymore. Kushina felt like a failure that she'd let Kimiko be in possible danger so early on.

"Kumo-nin could have gotten her!" Kushina argued when Minato told her to calm her down. Eventually she was calmed when he reassured her that he could still sense Kimiko still in the village and walking at a leisurely pace, 100% alive.

Now his job was to go out and collect her before she "gets lost and eaten by a bunch of bears!" as Kushina put it. Minato found it utterly adorable that Kushina was already such a mother-hen, he found it less adorable when she threatened to castrate him if he didn't hurry up.

"Kimiko-chan?"

Minato had stopped by the village gates, a small, redheaded figure stopped as he called. He was surprised to sense her near the village entrance and even more surprised to actually see her trying to leave.

Apparently the guards weren't exactly letting her.

"Namikaze-san!" One of the guards straightened up at the sight of him, stunned that Minato knew the name of the girl they were hassling. "Do you know this kid?"

"Yeah," Minato gave them his signature smile as he approached. "This is Kimiko-chan, she's new and a little confused, sorry about that but could you please excuse us?"

They just shrugged it off, smiling and waving as Minato tugged Kimiko over to the corner. Not taking her away from the exit but not bringing her closer, just off to the side of it.

"Are you alright, Kimiko-chan?" Minato asked her and frowned when she didn't reply. "Kimiko-chan?"

Kimiko was staring at her feet, refusing to look up. Minato placed a hand on her shoulder, "Did they hurt you? Kimiko-chan?"

"...No." Minato let out a sigh of relief. One bullet dodged. "...but those fuckin' cunts better watch themselves cause i'm gonna cut off their tiny ass dicks and shove them so far up their-"

"K—Kimiko-chan?!" Minato went a little pink at the language, embarrassed for her. "You shouldn't speak like that!" 

For a polite, kind person like Minato, speaking of someone so illy was horrific, and with such vulgar language!

But he couldn't help but admit that Kushina was right when she said Kimiko was a mini-her, thinking back to all the times Kushina stubbed her toes and unleashed all hell on whatever wall, table, or door that had defied her.

Kimiko looked up, confused. "Talk like what?"

Minato smiled just a bit. 'She's still just a kid..' Ruffling her head of red locks. "Don't worry about it. Now," He crossed his arms. "Why were the guards harassing you?"

"I told them I wanted to leave the village but I didn't have a permission slip or whatever from the Hokage and so they started giving me shit for it," Kimiko rolled her eyes, "Total dicks I tell ya."

Minato chuckled awkwardly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, before turning serious again. "Why were you trying to leave the village in the first place?"

"I'm not stupid, ya know?" Minato blinked. "I may look it but I ain't...I know when I'm not wanted and I ain't stickin' 'round to wait for it."

"Wait for what?"

"For ya to throw me out, for ya to say ya don't want me no more and toss me aside like I ain't shit but I am!" Kimiko grunted, sighing. "So I left first."

Minato knelt down to Kimiko's level. "Don't want you? Of course we want you, Kimiko-chan, why wouldn't you think that?"

"I heard ya," Kimiko sized Minato up with a heated stare. "You and Kushina...ya think imma liability and ya wanna kick me out, so I left first."

"Liability?" Minato chuckled. "Kimiko-chan, you're family not a liability, and you're more than welcome to stay."

Kimiko shook her head, arms crossed. "I know ya don't want me...I ain't family, ya don't have to pretend anymore, I'll just go and-AHH!"

Kimiko squealed as she felt her feet lift off the floor, eyes wide, she was met with the backside of Minato Namikaze.

"Get ya ass outta my face!"

Minato positioned the girl a little higher so her upper torso was only just hanging off his shoulders. It kind of resembled the way someone held a toddler, rather than a slung over bag of potatoes. In fact, Minato loosened his hold on Kimiko a bit to make her sink down into his arms.

One hand on her back, the other tucked under her butt for support while her head unwillingly rested against his shoulders. It was all rather cute, too bad Kimiko didn't think so.

"What are ya doing?!" She struggled a bit, eyes widening as he began to walk off. "Where are ya takin' me?!"

"Home." He answered simply.

"Home?!" Kimiko pushed against his chest, making it so she could see his face. "I ain't gotta home!'

Minato smiled. "Yes, you do." And didn't say anything else.

Kimiko stared up at the man as he walked, the streets quiet, everyone already snoozing away or off on missions. The neighbourhood they lived in was rather quiet anyway, it was why Minato picked it after all.

"...why?" Kimiko asked him after awhile, frowning.

"You're family, Kimiko-chan." Minato told her. "Konoha is your home now...and so is with us. Uzumaki or not, you're still family, and you'll be safe with us. No Kumo-nin will ever hurt you again, I promise."

As Minato stepped a little higher Kimiko found her cheek press against his shoulder, but she didn't push back this time, instead resting her head next to his own. She could feel the tickle of his golden, thick hair as she stared off at Konoha.

'Konoha...is my home?'  

"Ko."

Minato tilted his head to look at her. "Huh?"

"Ko...call me Ko."

Minato couldn't see her face as she buried herself into his Jonin vest but he didn't need to, already feeling the salt water seeping through to his clothes.

"....t—thank y—you." Kimiko hiccuped, voice muffled.

Minato smiled, although knowing full well she couldn't see his face, and lifted her a little higher.

"You're welcome, Ko-chan."

::

At this point in the timeline Minato is not yet the Yellow Flash, he still has the Hiraishin but he has yet to fight the battle that makes him so infamous. You won't really notice until everyone else shows up but Minato and Kushina are the only two people in the story who call Kimiko "Ko".