Thread: Raising Naruto ( Minato x Kushina )

If only she had more time to pester Mikoto about the woes of childbirth. Biwako, as saintly as she was for overseeing the birth of Kushinas child, was far from a kindly midwife, and with a stern command had rushed Kushina along at the fastest speed the expectant mother could waddle at. As nice as it would be to have a proper room in the villages hospital, aided by the topmost medical equipment, they couldnt risk such a quaint luxury. With a jingle of her bracelet, Kushina ghosted her hand along her extended stomach in the gentlest notions of a touch. Today was going to be the big day, marked months in advance on the calendar both she and Minato fretted over and flipped with excitement and anxiety. They were going to be parents. They were going to be parents ! Kushina wished she could have told everyone and anyone who would listen to oh-so-happy news, but she knew how important it was to keep the exact day of the birth a secret. Yet despite everyones carefulness, despite all the precautions, how had it all gone so wrong? With shallow breaths, Kushinas lungs filled with oxygen, and just enough to let out a weak sob. The stranger stood between them and happiness. He had their son he had their Naruto. Minato , she whisperedno, begged, of her husband with his name alone. Her eyes, wet with tears, pleaded with him to do something. Their child was at risk, her well-being be damned! She could barely sit up from the delivery table, let alone stand, and with just enough strength she witnessed Minato secure theyre child and vanish in a flash. The explosion from the many tags strung on his blanket shook the cave, but despite the strangers trick, the two were safe somewhere. Which was more than could be said for her. Thank goodness, Kushina breathed, her arms giving out and forcing her to collapse back down onto the table. Her bright red bangs clung to her sweat slick forehead, her exhaustion practically palpable as the stranger drew near. Tired eyes struggled to stay open, and in the dimly lit cave whose light was slowly being blocked out by the strangers hand being placed over her eyes, she told him, You wont win. It was unfortunate that the deck was stacked against them like this. Kushina wasnt one to gamble, but even she could see how cruel fate was being with the hand it dealt her. After undergoing the stressors of childbirth, she was forced to endure even more pain as the beast inside her was freed from her singular form. Kyuubis bindings destroyed, the strangers intent made reality It was a miracle shed survived, and despite Minatos quick save, she thanked him instead for allowing her to see their child once more. She feared, above all else, that this would be for the last time. Delicately cupping such small red cheeks, Kushina gathered the infant to her with a pathetic sob. She was stronger than this better than thisand even in her weakened state, she would show that. She would protect her child. And she would die doing so. Or so she thought. Her eyes had never felt so heavy in her life, and even with her impressive strength and resilience, it took an eternity for her to open them properly. A white ceiling greeted Kushina, blank and indistinguishable. The air around her smelt sterile, laced with the pungent smell of decaying flowers, and aside from a distant, patterned beep, she heard no other sound. Really, she felt as though she were in a dream, heavy and lightheaded all at once. Kushina tilted her head, let it fall heavily to the right and provide her with a better view of part of her surroundings. Dozens of bouquets and vases of flowers stacked a mile high on the nightstand beside her bed and even crowded the windowsill. She couldnt even name half of the blossoms she saw, too distracted by their various colors and shapes for her addled mind to work. Were they for her? She couldnt recall, but they looked so lovely framed by the setting sun. With a cringe, Kushina turned her head to her left and blankly took in the sight of the IV bag dangling beside her, pale eyes roving the cord as it twisted to her arm like a full creek winding through a forest. She moved her arm a fraction to get a better look at where the syringe nestled into her arm and didnt seem to quite understand why it was there. Fingers twitched, turned over and grazed the white blanket covering her stomach. Still distended and heavy with Kushina shot bolt upright, regret immediately biting into her as shocks of pain littered her abdomen. She couldnt help but hyperventilate as her shaking hands rove over the somewhat smaller circle of her once pregnant stomach. Every breath was difficult to take, but she ignored the shallow pain as shock set in. Her baby was gone. Her baby was gone . Had she enough oxygen, she would have screamed along with her heart rate monitor as it beeping went ballistic to match her fear. Frantically kicking off the blanket, Kushina hiked up her hospital gown over her protruding stomach and let her quivering fingers dig into the bandages wrapped around her torso. Naruto, she murmured to a child she knew wasnt there. Shed given birth to him in that cave Where was he? She scratched at the bandages just as two nurses rushed into the room, the door being flung open hardly distracting her from trying to remove her bandages. One gripped her left wrist and pinned it back with concern, the other returning to the hall to call for help before assisting the other in trying to restrain her. Kushina, please, everything is all right! One tried to console. You need to calm down! You could open your injuries! Where is he? Kushina demanded, her eyes wild and brimming with tears. Where is... he They She took ragged breaths and swallowed hard around the lump in her throat. Where are they? W-Wheres Minato? And And Naruto They She couldnt seem to settle, even as the nurses tried to guide her hands from her bandaged torso.