Chapter 1 - I'm going to be a Dad Soon!

Chapter 1 - I am going to be a Dad Soon!

Minato Namikaze was alone in his office. It had only been a few months since he had become the Fourth Hokage but already the workload was immense. There was so much for him to do. Missions to handout, requests to answer, clans to manage, relations with other villages, etc. Whenever he finished one item he was off to the next. Sometimes Minato felt crushed by the paperwork. There were things he wanted to do. People he wanted to spend time with. That was hard to do when you are the Hokage. It was price he paid for the position, but still he hated that part of the job.

Minato was immersed in his paperwork when he noticed a familiar presence. Slowly, it made it's way to his office. She's getting a lot slower. Minato noted as his wife finally made it through the door.

Kushina Uzumaki was extremely pregnant. It was only a couple of months until their son would be joining them. Something Minato looked forward to. He couldn't wait to see how their little Naruto turns out. He wondered if he would be more like him or Kushina. The wait was killing him.

Although at the moment, it appeared to be hurting Kushina a lot more. Her back was clearly killing her. She needed to sit down but there were no extra chairs in the room. Minato admonished himself for overlooking that detail. Kushina frequently barged into his office. Now that he pregnancy was full swing she needed to sit down a lot more. He noted the need as he got up. He greeted his wife then guided her to his chair. He was not going to sit while his pregnant wife stood. He wasn't that kind of man.

Kushina ranted as soon as she sat down. She loved did that, a lot. She loved to talk and today was no different. Minato listened as she went on. He loved listening to her. She was so simple, so uncomplicated that it was relaxing. He always knew where he stood with his wife. He was grateful for that. He loved her dearly and he was glad that she was by his side. She made him stronger. Which gave him the strength to do his job. He hoped that he gave her just as much back as she gave him.

". . . Minato, are you listening to me?"

Kushina's words pulled Minato out of his revelry. He knew that he had to respond quickly. He waved his hands frantically as he tried to calm his wife. "Off cooouuuurse I am."

Kushina sighed, "Oh Minato . . ." She paused for a second then looked her belly. "OH!"

Minato looked at her then asked, "Did he?"

Kushina looked back at him then smiled, "Yup. He moved!"

Minato rushed to the floor next to his wife. He placed his hand on her stomach. He could feel his son moving around inside her. It was so close now. Soon, he would be a father! Their little Naruto was almost on his way.

It excited Minato but it also worried him. There was a lot to fatherhood that he wasn't prepared for. He had so many questions that no one could ever possibly answer them all. He had to provide for his son's well-being. He to ensure his safety, education, and health all while teaching him how to become a man. It was a huge task. What if I fail? He thought as his hand stroked his wife's belly. I can't afford to lose either of you.

That thought brought back their fear that had been hanging over his head. What if the Ninetails gets out? What if I lose them? The possibility was very real. Kushina was not just his wife. She was a Jinchuriki as well. That meant that the seal was slowly weakening. She would have a difficult birth as the seal would be at it's weakest then. There was a good chance of the Ninetails escaping and losing them both.

This prospect terrified Minato. It kept him up at night. Every spare moment he got was devoted to her and making sure that they were okay. They were his world and he intended to keep them in it.

Kushina must have noticed how worried he was. She tried to calm her husband. She stroked his hair as she cooed, "Everything is going to be fine. Nothing will happen to us."

Minato wanted to believe her. He really did, but he knew better. So much could go wrong that it was frightening. He could lose them both. He didn't know what he would do if that happened. They were so very precious to him. Minato swore that he would do everything in his power to protect them. No detail was overlooked. They had to be safe. It was up to him to make sure of it.

They stayed like that for a while. Finally Kushina said, "Oh! I almost forgot, here."

Minato looked up to find a small, little bear in his wife's hands. It was a rough, ugly, little thing but it was a tad ugly it had it's charm too. Minato took the bear and inspected it. The work was shoddy. The loops were far from uniform. It was truly poorly made yet it clearly took someone hours to make this.

He asked her, "Did you make this?"

Kushina laughed. "Do I look like I can knit? No! Of course not." She waved her finger as she continued, "Actually, a little one at the academy made it. She heard that we were expecting and she poured her heart into it. It's kinda cute in an ugly way."

Minato chuckled. It was amazing that a student made this for them. It was kinda cute too. If you looked at it right. It was a honor that he was glad to accept. He was invested in their future. He felt a bit like their father. He was glad that they returned his feelings.

The bear was provably was harmless. But with the nature of the birth he couldn't take chances. He decided to keep it and have it checked over. If it was cleared then he would be happy to add it to his son's room. Sure, it provably wouldn't survive long, but it was the thought that counted.

Kushina slowly got up. Minato could see just how bad her back was bothering her. He wanted to take her home but he knew that she would refuse. She was far too stubborn to let her husband teleport her home. She would get there the slow way. There was no way to convince her.

So, instead he walked her out of the building. He made sure that she made it down the stairs and to the front gate. Once she was at the front gate, he kissed her and let her go. He would have walked her home if he didn't have so much work to do. He would to check in on her later though. He knew that she would hate that extra attention but he couldn't help himself. She was having his baby after all. She would forgive him. . . eventually.