Chapter Text
Genma was panicking. He couldn't find Raido or Iwashi or Minato or Kushina or anyone who could tell him where they were.
He knew what seeing the Kyuubi loose to attack the village meant. Had known Kushina's due date was any day now, that they were actually a few weeks past the originally expected due date but everything was normal according to her doctors so no one had panicked yet.
But they hadn't been prepared. They had thought they were. Genma knew about the cave and the sealing matrices that had been put in place to help Minato keep the Kyuubi contained when Kushina gave birth. But Genma wasn't there. He was supposed to be there.
Him, Raido, and Iwashi were supposed to be there when Kushina went into labor to protect both of them and keep guard so Minato could focus on Kushina and not worry about anything else. That was their job. The Hokage Guard.
Kushina had been feeling off all day so they'd been on high alert, ready to go whenever. But after a few hours her discomfort had settled down and she'd been adamant that they go and get some sleep, at least a few hours so they'd be ready when the time came.
They were supposed to be there.
Genma didn't know why they weren't told. Why no one came to get them or that even a summon wasn't sent to give them a message. There were obviously other guards working on this. Anbu dedicated to protecting the Hokage and Jinchuriki. But they were supposed to be there too. He had no idea when Kushina went into labor and how long it had been. Had no idea how long his Hokage hadn't had them watching his back.
Something had obviously gone wrong.
The Kyuubi screamed and then vanished. Minato.
His Hokage was alive.
Genma had to get to him. But how?
The Hiraishin seals. But he couldn't do it on his own. He needed Raido and Iwashi.
The Kyuubi's roar echoed from a distance.
No time.
Genma reached and searched for the seal markers at the edge of his senses. It was blurry. Like he only had part of the picture. A third of the puzzle that made the key that let him use the jutsu.
Oh gods he needed his team but they were nowhere near him. He was on his own. He had a duty to his Hokage.
He was seventeen years old and he couldn't do this. By the sage what was he doing?!
He had to.
He focussed and searched, narrowing his chakra sense until he found a marker that hummed with a recent surge of chakra through it. The way he'd be taught to look for it so that the squad could follow Minato when he jumped without warning.
He had to do it. He could do this. He had no other choice.
He reached. Stretching and twisting and letting his body and soul be flung across the world to where that marker hummed with the presence of his Hokage.
He slammed into the ground and immediately retched. Bile scorched his throat that was already shredded from shouting in the chaos. Fuck. Shit. Ow.
His whole world was spinning but he didn't have time for that. His head snapped up to look for where Minato was and found himself staring his Hokage in the face.
Minato’s eyes went wide.
“Genma.” His name was said breathlessly and with a weak chuckle even as blood dribbled from Minato’s lips.
That's when Genma noticed.
Kushina.
The claw.
The nine tails.
The baby.
Oh sage the baby.
“Hey Picky.” Kushina smiled at him despite the blood staining her teeth.
Picky. From Toothpick. Her nonsensical nickname for him. Based on the senbon he chewed on constantly like a toothpick and the reaction he had to the time she tried to make him eat a spinach salad and she called him a picky eater.
“Wha-” he bit his lip. The bad habit that he had was the whole reason he chewed on the senbon to begin with. Almost chewing through his lip in the academy whenever he was focussed or stressed. He didn't have his senbon because he'd been woken up by the Kyuubi's attack and hadn't grabbed one as he frantically searched. He hadn’t even had a chance to put his uniform on. He was wearing pajamas and his shirt had been shredded when he was thrown into rubble by one of the Kyuubi’s swipes.
“We're sealing the Kyuubi in Naruto.”
Naruto. Naruto.
The name he'd known they'd picked for the baby. The baby laying on the altar between him, Minato, and Kushina.
He tried to find words but they wouldn't leave his throat. His face felt wet.
Minato chuckled. “Oh, Naruto is going to be so lucky. He'll have you looking after him. Mother hen Genma will take good care of him.”
Kushina laughed and smiled down at her son. She speaks her wishes to her son and Genma hears them also and swears to himself to hold those values true.
Kushina looks up at him. “Take care of him, Picky.”
Minato speaks briefly. And then there is a flash and Kyuubi is gone and Naruto wails and Minato and Kushina’s bodies fall to the ground.
Genma hears the barrier crack. Though he's numb to the sound as he reaches forward and pulls Naruto to his chest. Trying to soothe the baby's cries and wrap his mind around what had just happened. The sacred duty he had just been given.
He hears people around him. But his eyes are only focussed on Naruto. Naruto. Tiny, perfect Naruto that is all Genma has left in this world of his Hokage and his friend.
A hand enters his field of vision and tries to touch Naruto and Genma isn't even aware as he snarls and flies back from the touch. He isn't even conscious of the choice as he reaches and pulls and slips from the here to the there.
There's no negative reaction as far as he can feel. He doesn't even know where he is. It's quiet.
Naruto sniffles and whines ever so slightly and Genma soothes him as he breathes.
The baby clutched to his chest like Genma could tuck him next to his heart. He'd be safe there. He can feel Naruto’s skin against his own through the shreds of his shirt. The tiny fingers scratching at his chest. The tiniest pinpricks of pain that feel like nothing to the grief in his heart that tries to swallow him. Yet somehow the rise and fall of Naruto’s chest against his own keeps Genma grounded.
He doesn't know how long he sits there. Pressed up against the trunk of a tree with Naruto in his arms. His chakra circling his body at high intensity, like he’s still in battle. The high chakra volume automatically keeps him warm in the early fall air. It's dark, he can barely see but his chakra enhances his eyesight just enough to let him see just enough to stare at Naruto's face and watch his tiny chest rise and fall.
He notices when dawn breaks and the light starts to filter through the leaves. He tracks the way more and more features of Naruto’s are revealed in the light. Things that remind him of Minato and Kushina. Naruto’s nose that he knows will scrunch up just like Kushina’s when she sees something gross.
The sunlight glints off of Naruto's hair and it looks like gold. Genma runs a fingertip over it gently and it's the softest thing he's ever felt.
A presence.
He doesn't know what it is he senses but it has him on alert immediately. Naruto braced with just one arm and a kunai in the either, brandished to shield Naruto from any harm thrown his way.
Leaves rustle. A very purposeful rustle. One that all shinobi know to make to announce their presence to each other.
“Genma, it's me, Raido.”
Part of Genma wants to sag in relief. Part of him rebels and says, “Trap! Run!”
He's torn, unable to move.
A hand reaches through the bushes. The morning light glinting off the rings Raido always wears. The metal is a chakra conductor that lets him enhance his punches with elemental chakra.
Both of his hands are held up and ever so slowly, Raido steps out of the bushes. He's across the tiny clearing that Genma has spent the past hours in. It feels both too close and too far at the same time. Part of him screams to flee and part cries for Raido to hold him so he can fall apart.
Raido stares at him and Genma stares back. Naruto fusses. Genmas's eyes snap down to see if he's hurt but no, there's just a sunbeam in his face, shining into his scrunch closed eyes.
He hears Raido breathe sharply and Genma’s eyes snap back up to focus on his friend? Foe? No. Friend. Raido is his friend. His partner. One of the corners of their triangle that holds their formation stable and lets them use the Hiraishin. Wait. Genma used it on his own earlier. Twice. He did it without Iwashi or Raido. He feels his heart rate rising but is snapped out his mental spiral when Raido speaks.
“We've been looking for you all night. Lord Third didn't know what happened. You just vanished when he tried to see if you were alright.”
Genma struggles to get the words to form. His throat feels like it’s on fire with every sound he makes. But he’s a good shinobi. He’s been conditioned to give mission reports and status updates on the edge of death. “Tried to take him. Had to protect him. Had to get away. Keep him safe.”
His voice sounds foreign to his own ears after the hours of silence with only the sound of Naruto’s breathing and the passive flutter of the forest to keep him company all night long.
Raido keeps his tone calm as he walks forward slowly and crouches down to Genma's eye level a few feet away. His hands stay up and away from his sides, trying to convey non-threatening the best he can. “You did Genma. He's safe. Mission complete.”
Genma shakes his head viciously. “No!” The shout startles them both but Naruto just whines slightly and settles right back down. Turning his tiny face into Genma's chest and mouthing at the skin there. The motion makes Genma’s heart clench as the thought runs through his mind of all he’ll have to do to care for Naruto. That Naruto probably is very hungry and needs to eat. He may not have eaten yet. Kushina may have never gotten the chance.
“They- they gave him to me. Told me to take care of him. Protect him. Love him for them. Final orders.”
Raido sucks in another breath. “They did? Minato and Kushina?”
Genma nods and feels tears falling down his face as he can only stare at Naruto. “H-he has to eat his ve-vegetables and-and don't listen to Jiraiya about girls. Study, has to study. Smile. Dream. Follow his dreams.”
Genma is sobbing as he brings Naruto up to his face and cries into the last piece of the family he didn't let himself have. He didn't let himself get as close to Minato and Kushina as he could have. Tried to stay professional. Act older than his seventeen years. Act with the grave poise of his honored duty to protect the Hokage.
Didn't let himself bask in the praise Minato gave him about his seal work when he was learning the Hiraishin. Didn't let himself indulge in mealtime with the Hokage and his wife when Kushina brought Minato lunch. Held himself back from stepping into the closer relationship he saw Minato have with Kakashi because he knew about the two people who were already missing. Hadn’t wanted to overstep his place in their lives.
So many things he didn't let himself have. And now he never would.
He was seventeen years and three months old. He'd been a shinobi for seven years. Genin at ten, chunin at thirteen, and tokubetsu and Hokage Guard at sixteen. His career was strong and fast paced with notable successes and honored positions. He’d survived the third shinobi world war to now and had thought he had his future figured out. Now he had no idea besides that it would involve Naruto.
Naruto was less than a day old. Only a few hours.
For everything that Genma didn't let himself have, Naruto would never know.
He cried and when Raido slowly and carefully came to his side, Genma collapsed to lean against his friend's side and let himself shake. He didn't fall apart. He couldn't. Not completely. But he let himself lean against one of the last remnants he had.
When he ran out of tears, Raido got him up to his feet. Genma refused to let go and to his credit Raido didn't even try to touch Naruto. Just looked down at him and smiled sadly at the baby while wrapping an arm around Genma’s shoulder.
Raido kept his arm around Genma’s shoulder as they started walking and used the other to push the brush and foliage out of their way so they could walk towards the village. Genma didn't know where he'd ended up. Out in the training grounds surrounding the village but he didn't know which specific one.
Raido got them to the actual path that led back to the village and then paused. “I'm going to signal the others that I found you, that way they can stop looking and return to the village.”
Genma nodded and brought a hand up to cover Naruto's ears, knowing what was coming.
Raido let out a hawk shriek whistle in three notes that was a standard, “Target found!” signal.
The call carried through the air and then the responding confirmation request call went up from the west of them. A solid mile away probably but clearly heard as the calls were designed for.
Raido repeated the call, confirming his first message that he'd found what they were searching for.
From the south came a call asking if he needed backup, Raido responded with a negative and then called for the signal to be spread to the other searchers and for a return to base. Affirmatives came from the west and south before the corresponding signals went up. Genma could hear the calls echoing through the trees farther and farther away.
To anyone who didn't know the calls and what they meant, it probably sounded like a flock of birds making an awful racket. But to any Konoha shinobi worth their hitai-ate it was a crystal clear messaging system. Genma knew for a fact that it freaked out the other villages during the war when bird cries would echo out of the trees and terrain with no discernable pattern until suddenly they were under attack.
Raido started leading him towards the village. It took them time. And a few minutes into their walk Genma sensed more chakra signatures approaching and stiffened preparing to run but Raido caught his reaction and calmed him.
“Gen! It's the Anbu! Calm, they're here to help keep Naruto safe, yeah?”
Genma drew in a shaky breath but nodded to Raido and kept walking. His mind tagging the presences that now watched from the trees. He couldn't sense very far usually, but he knew his immediate surroundings. Anything within twenty yards he could pin like a fly with a senbon through its wings. Now it was like his senses were dialed to twenty. He could sense the flickers of approaching Anbu from way farther than usual and could still feel the Hiraishin seals at the edge of his senses. Just barely out of focus but he knew that if he gave it a bit of effort they'd be as clear as day to him.
Raido kept him walking. They reached the peak of a hill and Genma had to choke back other sob so he didn't start crying again. The village was a disaster. Large swatches of buildings decimated and reduced to rubble. He could see the small figures of people moving about the destroyed zones. Working in tandem for what had to be rescue efforts.
Wait. His gaze whipped to Raido. “How many were looking for me?!”
Raido winced. “As many as could be spared. Lord Third wanted you found immediately. We've been looking for hours. We searched the village first but when you were nowhere to be found we turned to the training grounds.”
“But the rescues!”
Raido’s eyes went sharp. “Don't you dare Genma. Lord Third prioritized the rescues but you and Naruto were also a priority. You could have been hurt somewhere and needed help, just like the people in the village.” Raido’s eyes drifted to Naruto. He spoke quietly. “Lord Third needed to know that Naruto was also secure. Which is why as soon as we get into the actual village we're going straight to a bunker and staying there till Lord Third says otherwise.”
Genma nodded numbly and they continued on. He doesn't remember much of the rest of their walk. His eyes trained on Naruto who is starting to squirm more and more as time passes but hasn't started crying yet. He doesn't remember entering the bunker until Raido lowers him onto a couch and vanishes for a moment but then returns before Genma can start freaking out again.
Raido holds out a bottle and Genma stares at it blankly for a moment before reaching out to take it. It's warm but he already knows it is not too warm. Kushina had taught him about bottles and how to prep them. Well not him specifically but he'd been there when she was telling Minato about it last week. And it'd been a while but he'd done babysitting D-ranks before so he knew how to hold and feed and change a baby.
He held the bottle to Naruto's mouth and the boy scrunched his nose but soon latched on and began to drink. He would latch on and off. Whining when he let go and then calming as soon as Genma put the nipple back in his mouth.
The bottle only had a few ounces in it and Naruto polished them off in no time. Genma shifted him automatically to burp him and Naruto let out a small hiccup and Genma felt the drool and likely mess on his shoulder but absolutely did not care.
He shifted Naruto away from the wet spot, more towards the center of his chest and didn't fight it when Raido put a hand on his clean shoulder and leaned him back on the couch till he was reclined just enough to be relaxed himself, while upright enough to keep Naruto cradled in his arms safely.
“I've got the watch, Gen. You get some sleep, okay?”
Genma nodded and let his eyes close. Feeling Raido right next to him and Naruto's weight on his chest. Listening to Naruto's soft breathing.
They were safe.