10

Chapter 10: hey kid, close your eyesChapter Text

"I can't believe I've only just woken up and you're already trying to seal me away," Kurama grumbles, cracking a jaw-breaking yawn in his and Raijin's shared mindscape. 

Raijin rolls his eyes. "I'm not trying to seal you away," he argues. "I'm just trying to figure out a way to stop the universe from breaking because there's two of you in this timeline."

Kurama huffs. "I should've just stayed asleep."

Snorting, Raijin makes sure to exaggerate his incredulous expression just to annoy his friend. "You couldn't possibly sleep anymore," he says. "It has to be impossible."

The fox shoots him a smile full of massive teeth as he leers closer. "You wanna bet, brat?"

Raijin pushes his snout away. "Absolutely not. You're not sleeping anymore, okay? I've been lonely without you."

Huffing again, Kurama shakes his head at Raijin and tucks his paws beneath him to settle down. "Pathetic as always," he grumbles, but he can't hide the impression of fondness that travels through their emotional link. 

The blond grins, leaning his weight back on his hands. "Sure," he drawls. "Just admit you're glad to hear my voice again, you old grump."

"I'd rather eat one of my own tails than listen to your screeching," Kurama declares decisively, closing his eyes.

"Hey, my voice is lovely!" Raijin crosses his arms. "You could be nicer, you know. I really did miss you."

Cracking one eye open, Kurama considers him for a moment. Finally, he huffs and reaches out just enough to carefully nose at Raijin's hair. "Whatever," he rumbles, but it's half-hearted at best and he doesn't even complain when his jinchuuriki throws himself forward to rest against Kurama's paw.

"My new fox summons have been dying to meet you," Raijin informs. "I'll introduce you later."

Kurama makes a noise of acknowledgement. "Better than those hideous toads at least," he mutters, snapping his teeth when Raijin smacks at him. 

"Toads are cute!" 

"You're the only one insane enough to think that, blondie."

"They are!"

The fox shifts purely to dislodge Raijin and make him yelp. "Quit shouting or I'll kick you out," he grumbles. 

Raijin frowns at him. "You can't kick me out of my own mind," he protests.

"That's what you think," Kurama tells him, licking at his teeth lazily. "Now, how much of a mess have you made in my absence?"

Blowing a raspberry, Raijin crosses his arms. "For your information, I've made zero messes while you were gone. Things have gone just as planned." When Kurama only eyes him in disbelieving silence, Raijin squawks. "I'm being serious! I stopped Akatsuki from going evil, prevented Gaara's shitty seal, saved Obito and killed Zetsu. I've already destroyed the Demonic Statue too."

"You did all that?"

"You fucking bet I did." Raijin puffs out his chest. 

Kurama rumbles, huffing hot air in his face. "Well, what do you know, I guess miracles do happen," he comments, but there's the tremor of laughter in his voice at Raijin's subsequent whining. "And you're in that village of yours again?"

Raijin pouts at the fox's bullying but settles down for now. "Yeah," he nods. "Only got here earlier today. They've already confirmed that I'm related to my dad."

Ears perking up at that, Kurama says, "Oh?"

"Yeah. They tested us and figured we've got to be brothers since we're definitely first generation relatives," Raijin informs. 

Kurama eyes him contemplatively. "And you're fine with this?"

Shrugging, Raijin leans into his friend's warmth, threading his fingers through soft fur. "I guess so, yeah. It's definitely super weird, but—" he pauses, biting his lip in thought. "He isn't really my dad, you know. Not yet, anyways. He's gonna have a Naruto of his own someday in any case, and that's fine because he's not my dad. Does that make sense?" Raijin shakes his head. "I mean, I'm just glad I'm getting to know him like this. Mum too eventually."

"I see," Kurama replies evenly. 

"Yeah." Raijin looks up at his friend. "I'm gonna save them, Kurama. And when they have a Naruto of their own, I'm gonna make sure he gets all the things I didn't, including a super awesome uncle. All of them are gonna be safe and happy this time around."

Kurama noses at Raijin's hair again, rumbling. "Okay, kit."

Smiling, Raijin shoots to his feet, all but startling the fox. "Alright! Now let's figure out a seal to hide you from the past, grumpier version of you."

Raijin isn't really all that bothered about the number of people who do doubletakes upon seeing him stroll through Konoha's streets. He's used to the villagers staring at him after nearly a lifetime of it. At least none of them are glaring or outright swearing at him this time round. 

Obito, however, doesn't look very convinced when Raijin tells him this. 

"Are you sure, Raijin-san?" he asks. "That nurse was totally staring at you earlier too. It's got to be annoying."

Shrugging, Raijin leans back in his chair and flashes Obito an easy smile. "I can hardly blame them for wanting to look," he says, winking for good measure and grinning when Obito huffs out a laugh. "It really isn't a big deal, Obito-kun. Shinobi villages are just nosy like that."

Obito leans forward slightly, excitement gleaming in his eye. "You must've travelled a lot, right?"

"Sure have," Raijin confirms. "I was in Suna recently actually. Have you ever been, Obito-kun?"

Wrinkling his nose, Obito shakes his head. "Genin aren't really allowed out of the village much thanks to the war," he explains. "This was my, uh, first mission as chuunin."

Raijin winces. "Well, you haven't missed much in Suna at least," he says. "It was just as hot as always, and even weirder than usual."

"Weirder?" Obito tilts his head. 

Raijin nods emphatically. "Yeah! The whole village was convinced there was some ghost or something haunting everyone. They had a whole bunch of exorcists come in and everything. It was insane!"

Eye narrowing, Obito looks at Raijin intensely. "No way," he declares. "You're lying to me."

"Am not!" Raijin swears, hand on his chest. "Suna really is just that weird. One day, you'll see for yourself, and you'll regret not believing me when it catches you off guard."

At this, Obito droops. "You really think I'll get to see for myself?" he asks. "Even though I'm stuck like this now?" He gestures to the half of him that is still completely bound in bandages and casts to allow the tissue to finish regenerating unhindered. 

Softening, Raijin reaches out to squeeze Obito's shoulder reassuringly. "You're going to be fine eventually, Obito-kun," he tells the boy with the kind of certainty only a time-traveller can have. "It's going to be a lot of hard work, but I have no doubt that you'll get better and become a great ninja. Don't lose heart, okay?"

Obito tucks his bottom lip between his teeth, frowning down at his lap. "How do you know it's going to be okay?" he asks, and he means for it to be a demand but it comes out too desperate, too honest. 

Raijin shrugs. "Call it instinct?" he tries. When Obito looks entirely unconvinced, he sighs. "Look, Obito-kun, no ordinary shinobi would have survived half the shit you went through in the past two weeks. Surviving the cave-in, surviving the cell implantation, surviving the crazy grandpa who'd kidnapped you, and then making it through to your rescue—that's a lot to get through, and you did all that. That's how I know you have it in you to grit your teeth and stick it through the rest of the way until you're stronger than you ever were."

"You really think so?" Obito asks, voice wavering and eye wide as it is trained on Raijin. 

"Of course, kid," Raijin tells him. "I know so."

A wobbly smile on his face, Obito says, "Thanks, Raijin-san. I appreciate it."

Raijin ruffles the boy's dark curls and grins. "Anytime, Obito-kun."

Obito opens his mouth to say something, but before he can, there's a knock on the door. As both occupants of the room turn to face the door, it is slid open to reveal two people that Raijin really shouldn't be surprised to see. 

"Rin-chan!" Obito exclaims, shooting up so he can see around Raijin. "Bakashi! You guys came!"

'Holy shit,' Raijin thinks distantly, trying not to openly gape at the newcomers, 'Kakashi-sensei is tiny.'

"We told you we'd be coming by yesterday, silly," Rin says, but her voice sounds choked with emotion. "Ah," her gaze slides to Raijin, "can we come in?"

"Of course." Raijin grins at her, standing up and waving the kids over to sit. "You must be the teammates Obito-kun has told me about. Rin and Kakashi, right?"

Rin returns his smile, gently nudging Kakashi till the boy nods in greeting too, albeit with a frown on his face. "Yeah, that's us. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Raijin," the blond points to himself. 

"Minato-sensei's brother," Kakashi notes, eye narrowing almost imperceptibly. 

Raijin really is having a hard time looking at this miniature version of his sensei. Who knew Kakashi had been this short and skinny as an eleven-year-old? Or this scowly for that matter. Seriously, is this why Kakashi had always gotten that weird look on his face every time Sasuke so much as opened his mouth when they were all genin?

Deciding to put off exploring that thought for a later date, Raijin shrugs at the preteen. "Apparently so, yeah."

Rin clasps her hands together. "It's wonderful that you've both found each other!" she says, her smile causing the purple clan markings on her cheeks to scrunch up. "It's like something out of a story."

"Like a civilian drama," Raijin agrees, nodding emphatically. "I'm still getting used to it myself. It has only been a day after all."

Kakashi tilts his head. "You're staying in the village?"

"I will be, yes," Raijin confirms. "Hokage-sama was kind enough to offer me a place among Konoha's ranks. They still have to sort out my immigration and stuff first though."

"Ooo," Obito leans forward, "do you know what rank you'll be? You've got to at least be a tokubetsu jounin, right?"

Rin frowns thoughtfully. "There's a test for that sort of thing, isn't there?"

Kakashi nods. "Hasn't been done since the third war started though. Immigration has been on hold to prevent potential espionage." He turns to eye Raijin contemplatively. "They're really making an exception for you."

Eyebrow lifting, Raijin shrugs. "It actually isn't quite on hold," he corrects. "Shinobi are still able to join Konoha even during the war so long as they have a credible sponsor on one of the village councils. Most of them just happen to be branch members of existing clans who get by on field promotions so it goes kind of unnoticed by most."

"Really?" Rin blinks. "I had no idea."

"You sure know a lot, Raijin-san!" Obito comments, smiling brightly. 

Kakashi hums, still watching Raijin apprehensively. 

The blond snorts. "I've never been accused of knowing a lot before," he informs openly, grinning. Sakura would laugh herself silly if she ever got wind of this. "I'm just nosy. It's kind of an occupational hazard."

It's not like he can tell them that the older versions of Tsunade and Kakashi had taken it upon themselves to drill everything they could about Konoha's functions and politics into his head in some sort of desperate bid to officially pass on leadership to him before both of their deaths. 

Obito looks unconvinced. "Aren't you, like, a spymaster? Like Jiraiya-san?"

Both Rin and Kakashi look interested in this information. 

Rubbing at the back of his neck, Raijin shrugs. "I wouldn't say spymaster, but I did have a network to stay informed," he admits. "Both Jiraiya-san and I use a combination of contacts and summons to do it."

"You have summons?" Rin asks. 

"Foxes!" Obito tells her before Raijin can. "I met one when Raijin-san and Jiraiya-sama came to get me. She was fluffy and red." He pauses thoughtfully before adding, "Kind of like Kushina-san's hair."

Kakashi sighs, shaking his head even as Rin giggles. 

"Don't let her hear you say that or you'll be done for, Obito-kun," she warns playfully. 

"Kushina-san," Raijin repeats, swallowing. 

Rin turns to him. "Ah. She's Minato-sensei's girlfriend. I'm sure you'll meet her eventually, Raijin-san."

"Right," Raijin manages, feeling like his heart has turned to stone and dropped right down to his diaphragm. "I'm sure I will." Clapping his hands together, he announces, "Anyways, I really should get going now." It's that or potentially bursting into tears for seemingly no reason right here.

"What?" Obito pouts. "Are you sure you can't stay any longer, Raijin-san?"

Raijin grins and reaches out to lightly flick the Uchiha's nose. "Sorry, Obito-kun. I've got a seal I'd like to finish working on soon. Besides, I wouldn't want to intrude on you and your friends any longer." He heads for the door, offering a wave over his shoulder. "It was nice meeting you guys. See you later!"

"Raijin-san," Kakashi calls out before the older shinobi can fully leave. When Raijin turns to the boy with raised brows, it is to find Kakashi staring at the floor, hands clenched into fists. "Thank you," the boy says after a long moment. He looks up and meets Raijin's eye. "For saving Obito. Thank you."

Raijin blinks, remembering the few instances when his Kakashi had explained how much the loss of his teammate had affected him. The blond nods in understanding. "Of course, Kakashi-kun."

He leaves before anything else can be said, only briefly catching when Rin asks Obito about Raijin knowing fuuinjutsu. It'd been weird enough to see a prepubescent Kakashi, but the mention of his mother had been enough of a cue for Raijin to leave before he hits his daily limit for emotional turmoil. 

It had been a lot easier when he hadn't been in a village that looked a lot like his home but wasn't it. Following the Kyuubi's attack, most of the village had been rebuilt. In a time that predates that, Konoha's streets are unfamiliar to Raijin, as are the people and shops.

Sure, it had been difficult to face Tsunade, Jiraiya and even Nara Shikaku, but they'd been run-ins. He'd known he didn't have to stay and linger on what he doesn't have anymore. Now, as he walks down the streets and catches sight of familiar faces that do not know him, it's a lot like losing them all over again. 

None of his friends are here. Most of them are barely even a twinkle in their parents' eyes. When they're born, they're not going to know him either, and there isn't anything he can do to change that. 

Raijin takes a deep breath and goes back to his room. Alone.

It is a distracted Raijin who opens the door for Minato when they meet for dinner later that evening. 

Minato doesn't say anything about it, simply smiling as he steps into the room. He tries not to worry but it's hard not to overthink everything in Raijin's company. Minato so badly wants for his brother to like him and for things to work out between them, he can't help the way he second-guesses things. 

Kushina had warned him to not do anything stupid but it's not like he's this way on purpose. While he isn't one to overthink so much in his professional life, Minato has always been a little hopeless when it comes to those he cares about. He has so few people in his close circle, and he has the tendency to hoard and guard them all zealously, wanting to make sure they're happy and healthy, wanting to give them all that he can. 

But he's trying to be mindful. He doesn't want to get too excited or cross any lines too quickly and end up scaring Raijin off of pursuing a bond with him. Minato really wants his brother to like him. 

"Sorry, the place is a bit of a mess," Raijin says, snapping Minato out of his reverie. He's collecting several papers off the table as he shoots Minato a sheepish smile. He has upper cheek dimples when he smiles that cause his whisker marks to scrunch up as well. Minato thinks it's terribly endearing. "I kind of lost track of time."

"Don't worry about it," Minato assures, placing the bag of takeout he'd brought with him on the table as the space is cleared up. "What were you working on?"

Raijin brightens at the question, his chakra flaring out heedlessly for just a moment. It's warm. "I heard you like sealing too!" he exclaims. 

And Minato can't help perking up at that too. "Is that what you were doing?" he asks. 

"Yeah," Raijin nods, offering him a few of the papers to look at. "I'm working on adding offensive capabilities to barrier seals. Barriers are my favourite. I have a lot of chakra so control is always hard for me, but that doesn't matter so much in barriers. I'm trying to get this one to discharge electricity when breached."

Minato studies the seal with fascination that he always has reserved for fuuinjutsu. None of Raijin's notes are encrypted but they're still close to unreadable in that they're all half-baked streams of thought that never get completed before Raijin seems to jump onto the next problem to tackle. His approach to sealing is a lot more instinctual and tailored to his personal strengths and needs than most seal masters around these days. The more Minato reads, the clearer it becomes to him that Raijin is a master of this craft as well. 

"This is one nasty barrier," he notes, his tone of voice far too happy for the subject matter. He can't help it though. He's excited that he gets to share his own hobby with his new brother. "Do you have other modifications too?"

Grinning wide, Raijin says, "I have one that hurls fire. Wanna see?"

Minato grins back. "Absolutely."

By the time Minato leaves, he's practically walking on air with how happy he is. 

His evening with Raijin had gone better than he could have ever dreamed. They spent hours talking about sealing theory and telling stories of their own experiments and failures. Raijin had even told him a little about his old friends in exchange for Minato telling him about Team 7's genin days. 

In the end, Minato walks away feeling a little like he has been handed a missing puzzle piece to complete his life. Like some part of him has just been waiting for his little brother to come home alla long. He wouldn't mind if the rest of his days looked like this—training with his team, catching up with his sensei, laughing with his brother, and going home to Kushina. 

Minato can't remember the last time he'd felt this fulfilled. Raijin is bright, funny, witty and unapologetically excitable. His energy is so infectious, Minato feels a little giddy even as he unlocks the door to his apartment and calls out a greeting to his girlfriend. 

"How'd it go?" Kushina asks, practically accosting him as soon as his sandals are off. "Did you have a good time? You did, didn't you? I can already tell!"

He grins back at her, heart so full that he feels like bursting. "I did," he confirms. "I had the best time."

Beaming, Kushina pumps a fist in the air. "I told you so! I knew you'd get along and I told you so, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." Minato pulls her close by the elbow, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder. There really is nothing better than this. "He's a good kid, Kushina. Open and quick to laugh." Pulling away so he can look at her, Minato smiles. "He reminds me a bit of you actually."

Kushina raises her eyebrows at that, looking amused. "Of me?"

Minato nods. "He seals like an Uzumaki. And, apparently, his favourite food is ramen too."

At this, she snorts. "Are we sure he's your brother and not mine?"

Laughing, Minato pulls her close and squeezes his girlfriend. "I think you're really going to like him."

"Well, if this is how happy he makes you, I'm sure I will," she comments. Kushina's hands press against his back. "Hey, Minato? I'm really glad for you."

"Thanks, Kushina."

"Now, when can I meet this brother of yours? I might just steal him because he loves ramen, ya know. I'm sure he'd love to have a big sister!"

"Please don't steal my brother, Kushina. I've only just found him."

"Can you imagine, Minato?"

"Kushina, I'm being serious."

"He'd call me 'Kushina-nee-san'!"

"Kushina!"