It feels good to make another family fic for Naruto, even if this one is sadder than what i've done before. Still, sometimes the sweetest moments come from the saddest things. To the NAMIKAZE FAMILY!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.

". . . Minato."

Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage of Konoha, barely represses a flinch. Had he been so deeply immersed in his paperwork, he hadn't noticed someone coming in? He looks up, violet eyes sparkling, yet darkened with worry seem to pierce him.

"Yes, Kushina?" he prompts, smiling.

"I'm worried, about . . ." Kushina looks away from electric blue eyes, seeing another, bigger pair staring at her with sadness from her memory. She looks out to the village, the window behind the Hokage's desk showing a beautiful view.

"I'm worried about Naruto." She tries again.

"Naruto?" Minato repeats, frowning as he rises from his seat. He goes around the desk and takes a pale hand in his own larger tanned one. The contact makes Kushina turn reflexively, facing him.

"Yes." She nods.

Minato raises an eyebrow when she will not elaborate further. "May I ask why?"

Kushina's eyes sparkle with annoyance this time. "You haven't noticed lately? No, not lately . . . it's been about two months now."

Minato bites the corner of his lip, tilting his head in thought. What was there to worry about with Naruto? Their child was a rambunctious, sweet boy who was too full of energy to take life at anything slower than a run. It was rare to see him sit still for any long period of time.

Wait . . .

"Is this about last night?" Minato asked.

Kushina frowns. "Last night wasn't the only time. ANBU didn't seem to feel the need to inform us that our son has taken to stargazing whilst we sleep for a couple of months."

"They'll be replaced with a skeleton crew who will then." Minato responds. "More importantly, what exactly does he do?"

"Naruto? He doesn't go from the house, just sits on the roof for hours, or so Badger tells me. The longest he's been up there is perhaps six hours. Usually, they say he only watches the stars for perhaps three hours. From the hours of one o'clock to three in the morning."

Minato frowns. "And you say this has been going on for two months? I didn't notice any change in behavior . . . if he's losing sleep like that then it would show—"

Kushina shakes her head and cuts him off. "Not so for a jinchuuriki. The demons help with that, enabling you to require less sleep, eat less, and stave off any negative effects that a normal person would feel for a longer amount of time. Plus, he's usually so energetic anyway, I don't think we'd notice immediately."

Minato sighs and perches against the edge of the desk. "So what should we do?"

"That's what I'm worried about." Kushina admits. "I talked to him about it this morning— no, not talked. I spoke and he just gave me platitudes. I asked him why he's been doing this, and he just says he likes the stars too much. I asked him to explain, and he said it's nothing to worry about, that he doesn't feel sleepy. He just kept telling me not to worry, to not mind it . . . I got a little angry, and asked him just what was so important he was watching the stars for? He said, that he was just thinking. I asked him what he could possibly be thinking so heavily about,"

Kushina took a deep breath. "Minato . . . the look he gave me. It's like, in his eyes there was this crushed look, as if I'd said something horrible to him. But he smiled at me— and then he just put his plate in the sink and ran to school."

"You didn't tell him to stop?" Minato asked dubiously.

Kushina glared. "He ran before I could. I just wanted to get to the bottom of this!"

"Then I'll talk to him. But it's unusual— usually he wouldn't be so secretive." Minato murmurs, pulling her close to him and giving her a reassuring kiss.

"That's why I came to you. There's no way he could keep it from you, if he can keep it from me." Kushina grinned.

"Ok." Minato decides, smiling at his lovely wife. "When he goes stargazing tonight, he'll have a little company. You can listen in from the window, he won't know."

"Thank you, Minato." Kushina whispers.

He comes home in the evening, and as if on autopilot the first thing he does upon stepping inside is crouch down and open his arms. And, like clockwork, two seconds after that he hears laughter and sees a blur of yellow. His arms are full of squirming, giggling flesh and his nose picks up the scent of earth and sunshine and ramen. He smiles, kissing Naruto's forehead as he stands up and walks up the stairs to his room.

"Where's your kaa-chan?" Minato asks his baby boy.

"She's in the garden!" Naruto chirps, big, bright blue eyes shining with a natural vitality that little could diminish. Minato tries hard, but he cannot imagine the look of sadness Kushina describes.

Minato takes off hid cloak and hangs it up. Turning around, he smiles at his son as the boy runs out the room, hearing the backdoor open. He follows at a more sedate pace.

"Okaa-chan, tou-chan is home!" Naruto shouts as he runs down the stairs.

"I know, I felt him come home." Kushina reveals with a mysterious wink, looking up at Minato and chuckling at the face her child makes.

"Ninjas, think they know everything." Naruto grumbles, walking to the table and taking his seat. Minato and Kushina laugh at the statement, and dig into dinner.

Minato watches Naruto carefully throughout dinner, and he can see Kushina do the same. Naruto looks bright and happy as ever.

What sadness is hidden by that sunshine smile?

Minato would find out soon enough. Plates are cleaned, bodies are bathed and soon all lights are turned off for the night. Minato and Kushina decide to stay awake until Naruto wakes up. So they wait.

Wait.

Wait.

Click.

"That'd be the window latch then." Minato murmurs, rising up.

"You go first. I'll come in a few minutes after you." Kushina tells him, and Minato nods.

He walks slowly, doesn't want to rush. Opening the door to Naruto's room, the window is indeed wide open, curtains occasionally stirring with the faint breeze. It's still a hot summer night in Konoha. Minato goes over, getting on his knees on the bed and pulling himself through the open window. Sitting on the ledge, he looks up and sees one small foot swinging idly over the roof's edge. He reaches for the roof, he grips and pulls up, swinging up onto the roof in one smooth motion.

"Aah!" Naruto yells, scrabbling back. He almost falls over the edge, but Minato catches him with one hand, easily guiding him close to his body and settling the boy next to him.

"You're not asleep." It's not a question Naruto asks.

"Neither are you." Minato answers back. He raises his head and gives a small nod of acknowledgment to the ANBU stationed around. They don't nod back, but that's what they're supposed to do.

He looks down at his son, deliberating. After a moment of thought he crosses his legs indian-style and picks Naruto up, sitting him in his lap and anchoring him there by folding his arms. He feels the smaller body relax back into his, and smiles.

He doesn't say anything for a while and just sits and watches the stars with his son. They are beautiful as always, and on this crystal clear night he fancies one could see another galaxy entirely. He waits for Kushina to come before he starts speaking.

"They're beautiful right?" Minato asks, never looking down. He feels Naruto turn in his hold, knows he's looking up at him.

"What?" Naruto asks. Minato's lips twitch.

"The stars." He supplies.

"Oh." A pause. "Yes, they are."

"Do you remember when I would show you the big dipper and little dipper?" Minato continues, friendly and casual.

"Uh-huh!" Naruto is a little more animated now. "They were right over . . . there!"

"Very good." Minato praises, ruffling the sunburst locks.

"And over there . . . is Cancer!" Naruto informs his father proudly, pointing correctly to where the constellation lies.

Minato blinks, impressed. "Wow. How'd you know?"

"Read it in a book." Naruto answers, contented with showing his father his knowledge.

Minato smiles, looking down at the spiky head of hair so like his own. "You like seeing all the constellations?"

"They've got cool stories." Naruto quietly responds.

"Is that why you watch the stars so much?" Minato asks, hoping he sounded more casual then he felt.

Smooth, Namikaze. Show 'em how you win over the Council, every time. He berates himself.

". . . Not always. I just like, looking at the stars." Naruto quietly responds.

"Is it because you feel something when you look at them?" Minato prods.

"Yes." The answer is quieter still, and Minato frowns lightly.

"What do you feel?"

"I feel . . . like things aren't so bad. Like, everything is tiny and big at the same time. I feel . . . happy, and . . . alright." Naruto struggles to explain, without giving too much away.

Minato recognizes the uncharacteristic reticence, but will let it slide for now. All in due time. "You feel comforted when looking at the stars."

"Yes." The answer is sure and firm.

"Do you not feel comfortable at any other time?"

"What do you mean?" Naruto asks, turning in his father's lap to look up at Minato's face.

"I mean . . . are there things that bother you when you're not looking at the stars?" Minato elucidates.

"Nope! Everything is fine tou-chan!" Minato recognizes it now, that wide smile isn't natural, doesn't have any good humor in it at all. When did Naruto learn to fake his smiles? When did he create a mask? It made Minato sick to look at.

His voice was harsher than he intended when he quickly said, "Don't lie to me." When he felt Naruto's quiver in his arms, he softened, raising a hand to run through soft locks. "Don't, Naru-chan."

Naruto looks up at him, and they lock stares. Naruto has a good enough poker face, Minato must admit. But he is better.

"Everyone is sad sometimes." The blurted statement makes Minato blink in surprise.

"Yes, they are." Minato confirms quietly, leaning back onto his palms.

"Is it so wrong that, when I'm sad, I look at the stars?" Naruto asks with a frown. No, not just a frown, Minato thinks. A tired frown, a frown of someone who is fed up with trifles. Just what could a child be fed up with, besides rules and vegetables?

"No, as a matter of fact it's one of the healthier ways of dealing with sadness that I've heard of or seen." Minato admits, nodding his head thoughtfully.

"Are you sad Naruto?" Minato asks his son, voice and expression very serious.

Naruto looks away, as if admitting this under duress. "Yes."

"Have you been sad a lot?" Minato presses.

"No." Naruto shakes his head.

"Don't. Lie to me." Minatos' voice is quiet, but Naruto can hear a sliver of an edge in that voice that makes his heart skip a beat in something akin to fear. But it wasn't fear. He could never be afraid of his father, he really did think so.

"If you know so well how I feel, why are you asking me?" Naruto growls, making to move from Minato's lap. Minato straightens up and pins Naruto to him with his arms.

"Lemme go!" Naruto grunts, squirming and struggling.

"Stop." The command was not to be deliberated over, it was to be obeyed. Naruto obeyed immediately.

"Naruto . . . you've been stargazing for two months." Minato starts, laying all his cards out on the table. "Have you been sad every day that you decided to stargaze?"

"Most of the time, I'm sad." Naruto mumbles.

"And the other times?" Minato questions.

"Confused, sometimes. Or, I just need to feel . . . like there's no me, no Konoha, nothing but just the sky and stars." Naruto murmurs, voice taking on a dreamy tone as he smiles wistfully up at the stars. For some reason, Minato feels his heart break just a little staring at that smile. He suddenly wants to bring his son back down to Earth, to keep him from flying up and far away, so far he might never come back.

"Naruto." Said whiskered child turns his head, absently nuzzling into the large hand that comes up to cup his cheek, the warmth of a thumb whispering across his cheekbone. "I'm so sorry your kaa-chan and I didn't notice."

"It's nothing to worry about. People get sad all the time!" Naruto protests, moving his face away from Minato's hand. Undeterred, Minato moves the hanging appendage to his sons head, carding gentle fingers through the blonde hair.

"Not for two months. That's a bit more serious." Minato retorts softly, feeling the sadness that must mirror his own in his wife's chakra. He can practically taste it.

Nothing is said for a moment, as they watch the stars. Some are tiny little pinpricks that are almost swallowed by their more dazzling counterparts, the stark platinum and white not at all cold, but a sort of warmth emanates gently from them despite their sharp contrast to the dark night.

"Will you tell me why?" Minato finds he is whispering.

"Why what?" Naruto matches his tone.

"Why are you sad baby?" Minato coos, lowering his head to nuzzle springy soft locks a brighter shade than his own gold mop.

"Am I a demon?" Naruto asks. Minato stills and lifts his head, feeling cold.

"We've talked about this." Minato says instead of giving an answer.

"I know. Am I a demon?" Naruto insists.

"No—"

"Am I a monster?"

"No!"

"Am I a murderer?"

"Naruto stop! You know you aren't." Minato cuts him off fiercely. "You are a hero for holding back the strongest bijuu, and your courage keeps us alive every day."

"Sometimes I forget." Naruto whispers, as if Minato hadn't spoken at all. "Sometimes . . . I can't help but wonder, just like the rest of the people. Sometimes I can't help but wonder along with the stares and the whispers. Sometimes I wonder if being the prison is just as bad as being the prisoner."

Minato winces, Naruto throwing his words right back at him, though he knows that is not the child's intention. Should he have explained it a different way? He hadn't thought he could get his point across by just using the example of a scroll and a kunai. But if he had, would Naruto not feel this way? Was he responsible for this?

Of course he was. He had sealed the monster in Naruto, not anyone else.

"I'm sorry . . ." he whispers, and hates how fragile the words are just hanging out there in space, waiting for Naruto to pluck them and tuck them safely into his heart, so he could hear them forever.

"I'm sorry. I should be sorry." Naruto mumbles, and Minato starts in surprise when he hears a faint trembling in his voice. Naruto . . . are you crying?

He didn't mean to ask the question out loud, but he must have since Naruto hiccups and nods. Shaking hands come up to his face, wiping away tears. Minato turns the child around until he's hugging him, stroking the head that rests on his shoulders as he's done for years.

"Shh," he whispers, rubbing the small back. "Don't cry Naru-chan . . . you don't need to cry."

"B-but I . . . thought something terrible!" Naruto sobs, clutching at the back of his father.

"What?" Minato asks, rocking from side to side as he finds himself close to tears, his happy baby boy was so full of sorrow, and he'd missed it! What kind of parent was he?

"The man . . . the man threw a bottle at me and said," Naruto takes in a gulp of air, and fresh tears bud in his eyes. "He said, 'don't get comfortable demon, the Yondaime is gonna finish what he started when he stops pitying you!' And, I knew it was a lie. I knew it. 'Cause . . . you love me don't you tou-chan?"

"More than anything," Minato promises, fresh hot anger sluggishly moving through his vains. "I love you more than my own life, I've loved you every day from the moment I found out your kaa-chan was carrying you up to now."

"I know it. I knew it, I did. But . . . but that day when you came home, and you looked so angry! You stared at me just like they do! And you, you clutched your weird kunai like you were gonna throw it at me. But I knew you wouldn't— and I still flinched and ran away!" Naruto bawls, burrowing his head into the crook of Minato's neck. "I stayed out for six hours, just to . . . to feel safe."

Minato can feel himself shaking, just a little. He feels another body press in close to him, feels silky hair slide across his arm— Kushina. Kushina wraps her arms around them, crying silently. Minato lowers his head and breathes in Naruto's scent to keep calm, blindly reaching for Kushina and crushing her to him.

He tries to speak but the words get stuck in his throat. He closes his mouth and breathes, just breathes. He tries again.

"I wasn't angry at you that day. Tou-chan . . . tou-chan was just angry at the world that day, for putting so much paperwork on his desk." He laughs weakly as his own joke falls flat. "I would never ever hurt you. What that man said was wrong. I . . . I can't. I literally cannot. If I ever hurt you, there'd be a line of people a mile long waiting to beat me up, but they would have to wait after me. I love you. I never want you to feel . . . like you aren't safe with me." the last part is so hard to choke out.

"Naruto, oh Naruto," Kushina whispers, caressing one peachy whiskered cheek as she raises his head. "It's hard, and we cannot even begin to imagine how lonely you feel sometimes. How it must hurt. But you know, that we are here for you, you can come and cry to us and bawl for hours if that's what you need. Not just us— Kakashi, and Itachi, Sasuke . . . you have so many people who want to see you smile."

"I want to smile. I don't want to cry. When I look up there," Naruto cranes his head back to look up at the sky. "I don't want to cry. I just want to look. I feel better."

"And we understand that," Kushina says gently, wiping away tears from Naruto's face. "But you need to get a proper rest. It may not hurt now, but eventually you will feel tired and grumpy from not sleeping. Then I'll have to make you do nap time again, and you'll miss out on playing with your friends."

"Ugh, nap time!" Naruto grumbles, sticking out his tongue.

Minato chuckles. "That's right. So, if you don't want nap time you have to sleep. No more stargazing on weekdays."

Kushina, catching on, nods enthusiastically and speaks quickly to wipe the look of loss off Naruto's face. "And in return, we'll make you a promise if you promise us to not stargaze on weekends."

"What promise?" Naruto asks curiously, head resting comfortable on his father's shoulder as Minato strokes his hair. He yawns, the gentle motions lulling him to sleep. But he has to hear what kaa-chan says . . . !

"Whenever you feel like all the sadness is going to eat you up, when you feel like there's not as much happiness to be found in the day, just tell us, 'I want to see the stars', and we'll take you to go stargazing on the weekend." Kushina solemnly vows.

"Yup, we'll take you to a nice place where you can see the sky. You'll be high up, as close to the sky as can be." Minato assures the boy, smiling as a look of wonder takes over the drained sadness.

"Even higher than this?" Naruto asks wondrously.

"Way higher." Kushina assures him with a grin.

"A mountain?" Naruto asks in a voice high with amazement.

"Yes, or maybe even Gamabunta." Minato whispers conspiratorially. Naruto's gasp of incredulity makes Minato and Kushina bite back laughter.

"Awesome." Naruto breathes, eyes drooping. He fights sleep for a little while longer, blinking sleepily up at his parents, then at the stars, then back again. They know he's asleep when his body suddenly loses all tension, and just drops onto Minato's.

"He's out." Minato declares quietly.

"Like a light." Kushina agrees. "It's so late . . . I don't think he should go to school tomorrow."

"Yeah, and I definitely won't be able to pay attention to any paperwork or Council meetings in my sleep deprived state." Minato mentions with an innocent tone, though his wicked smirk totally trashes the illusion.

Kushina giggles. "Ah my, you two might get sick. I suppose I'll have to cook up some super special breakfast ramen."

Minato's fist pump in the air and hiss of "yes!" brings fresh peals of (very quiet) laughter from Kushina.

"Minato, thank you." Kushina whispers suddenly, when they're tucking Naruto in.

Minato turns to her and grins, reaching down to ruffle Naruto's hair one last time before they go to bed. "He's my son too. Now, I wonder if he remembers what that man looks like . . ."

Kushina grins sharply. "Can I come play too when you find him?"

Minato chuckles smoothly, slinging an arm around Kushina's waist as they walk to their room together. "Darling, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Star light, Star bright . . . won't you send me a review tonight (or today?)

Love,

Bloody Mad~3