Chapter Text
In a cottage outside of the village hidden in the leaves, lived a small family. This consisted of a tall alpha with golden spikey hair and bright blue eyes. Minato was wearing a pink apron tied around his waist cooking dinner for his beta wife and watching their child from between the ivy which grew up the cottage and partly over the window.
The cottage was small consisting of two bedrooms and a kitchen. The dining table pushed up against one wall in the kitchen with three chairs one each side, it was covered in an intricate patterned cloth and in the centre stood a glass vase with yellow sunflowers which the child had picked that morning. Above the table sat a shelf which had a photo in a wooden frame of the small family, the three of them seated outside on the porch of their home, the parents with a hand on each shoulder of the young boy. The cottage had a thatch roof and what could be seen of the brickwork was painted white though that had dulled over the years. Ivy and vines covered most of the house only leaving small gaps for the three windows. Three steeping stones led the pathway through brightly coloured flowers to the dark mahogany front door.
His wife Kushina had thick long red hair which floated down her back in the cool summer breeze. A light green clip held her hair out of her face as she lovingly watched their child from the step on the porch. Their child was playing with some wild fox kits that had a den just outside of the garden, every year he would befriend the new litter and spend his time rough and tumbling with them.
The child who was small for his age and looked much like his father with golden hair which was currently full of dirt where he was rolling around on the ground. Scrapes and bruises adorning his tanned knees and elbows, his baggy orange shorts and a white t-shirt no longer the colour they were when he put them. His large orbs were a sparkling bright azure and shone happily as he giggled with a smile that reached across his face.
The foxes had a litter of 3 fox kits this year and where already nearly full grown. The dirty mop of golden hair could be seen bouncing up above the flowers and long grass before ducking down again. The fox kits jumped and nipped at the boy who tried to copy their play as he balanced on all fours wiggling his bum in the air as he pounced on one of his playmates who yipped as he rolled holding the small fox to his stomach. He laughed ruffling their sleek red fur before they jumped on him again pulling at his clothes and hair with their small teeth.
Kushina stood to get a better view of what her child was up to and called out to him. "Naruto! Please be gentle with them remember they are only babies!"
Her dark violet eyes narrowed as her child ignored her call, too involved in his mischievous game to hear his mother. This was a perfect day for Naruto, smelling his father's cooking which was much better than his mothers, although he would never tell her. And playing with his friends before having to go wash off in the stream before his dinner.
His mother worked collecting medical herbs and plants for the village hospital. Naruto would accompany his mother into the forest learning to collect the medicinal herbs and plants and what they were used for. He was taught what plants were poisonous and the affects they would have.
His father worked for the village as a ninja. He was often called out on missions away from the small family cottage. When his father would return from missions Naruto would greet his father with a tight hug on the porch quickly running inside to collect him some clean clothes before they walked to the nearby stream to clean up. Naruto would either stand nearby throwing stones at a target he had made from a cutting of fire wood or would try to catch frogs on the edge of the stream. He would complain that they were too quick with his father laughing telling him the same thing each time "if you want to be a good ninja you have to learn to predict their movements".
His father would carry him back to the cottage on his shoulders with Naruto laughing and ducking to avoid being hit by the branches of the trees. Naruto longed to follow in his father's footsteps and become a strong ninja. But he knew it would depend on what he presented as. He looked forward to his sixteenth birthday, dreaming of becoming a strong alpha like his father.
Naruto had never been within the village walls before. His mother told him he could go when he presented and he then would attend the academy. Kushina home schooled Naruto for the basic things. She taught him how to read and write although he did not enjoy those lessons. No Naruto much preferred learning taijutsu and play fighting with his father. Naruto looked forward to attending school and making real friends, his fox friends were nice but he longed for children his own age to play with. Kushina wanted to protect Naruto as long as possible from the bigger world. She barely let Naruto out of her sight unless with his father. The boy was small for his age and had feminine features. His body was lithe apart from his curvy behind. She knew it was very very unlikely Naruto would present as a rare male omega but instinct told her otherwise.
Children attend the academy to train to become a ninja after they present which was usually around their 16th birthday. Kindergarten is available for younger children until the age of 15, they would then attend the academy after they matured. Alphas and betas are encouraged to attend the academy to train to become front line ninja. Whereas omega trained to become medical ninja.
Alphas present by having a rut where they become aggressive and protective of loved ones. They also express an insatiable need to mate. Over the week of their first rut a massive change from a child's body to and adults takes place. An alpha gains a broader body hard with muscle, ready for them to fight and protect potential mates and young.
Betas seem not to be as affected by their secondary sex yet are similar to alphas, in which they have ruts although they are not as intense. Therefore rendering a beta to be weaker than an alpha. Betas have to train hard to get the muscles and strength that is needed to become an exceptional ninja.
Omegas are encouraged to become medical ninja because of their natural nurturing abilities. They attend a separate part of the school to ensure they are safe from other hormonal teenagers as their heats come irregularly for the first few years after presenting. All the omegas in the hidden leaf village are female as male omegas are very rare, with none being born in the hidden leaf village for over a decade. When an omega presents they have a heat, they become weaker which makes them docile to mate with, and their body temperature rises to increase chances of fertilisation. They let off strong pheromones to attract and seduce a mate. Omegas are the shortest of the secondary genders and have dainty features, longer eyelashes, plumper lips. They lack muscle tone and during their first heat their hips widen to safely carry young. No one has seen a male omega present because of their rarity, so no one knows exactly how their body changes during their first heat to accommodate a mating passage and how they are able to carry young, although some omega biology books have some hypothesises on how they think this would occur. Omega have the best of the senses of the secondary sexes, they can smell the emotions of others, this makes them excellent at raising young as they can tell the emotions of their children as well as those who could potentially attack. Omegas are normally submissive due to their smaller frames and lesser abilities to fight, hence why the academy encourages them to learn medical jutsus and stay away from the front line.
On the day of his 10th birthday, after much begging done on Narutos part his mother reluctantly agreed to take him to the village. With Minato being late from a 3month intel gathering mission she had little choice. Though Minato returning from his mission late was very unusual especially considering what day it was.
Kushina needed to drop off the medicinal herbs to the hospital and visit the market for Naruto’s birthday cake. She held tightly onto Naruto’s hand and begun making the half a day's trek to the village. Naruto skipped along the pathways and asked his mum questions about the village, he was so excited. She firmly told him that the village could be a busy place and that he must not leave her side. Naruto simply nodded and carried on skipping along the narrow path running his fingertips along the long blades of grass either side of the path.
When they arrived Naruto was in awe of the tall village gates and touched the cool metal bars as he was dragged through by his mother who waved to two men who were stationed at a desk to the left of the entrance. As they continued through the village Kushina shielded her son behind her and held his hand so tightly his circulation was getting cut off to his small fingers. He was quiet well hidden behind his mother as he only reached her hips. Narutos blue orbs were wide with wonder as he looked up and around the village.
He noticed a man with eyes like a snake which glowed in the shadows of an alley watching him, Naruto gave the stranger a gentle smile until a long forked tongue licked the man's lips. Naruto looked down to the floor a sinking feeling washing over him after making eye contact with the snake like man. Naruto looked back to the alley only to see the glowing eyes being absorbed into the darkness.
Fed up of being dragged through the village Naruto begun to crunch and kick the fallen autumn leaves. Suddenly concrete came under his feet and he looked upwards to a large building which looked like it touched the clouds. Naruto stopped walking and gasped at the biggest building he has ever seen. This must be the hospital he thought to himself. His mother tugged on his hand to move inside the building but Naruto stayed still mouth gapping up at the building. Just as he heard voices coming from the nearby playground. His head spun around to where the sound was coming from. He glanced between two bushes taking in the sight of swings, a large yellow slide and a sandbox. He watched the other children playing and running calling to each other.
Just as he was about to ask about visiting the playground. A lady with blonde hair tied into loose bunches and a chest so big Naruto couldn't see her face from the angle he stood at put her hand on his mother’s shoulder and began to speak. Naruto’s mother let go of his hand and reached into her satchel while thanking the women for saving her some time. Naruto took his opportunity, he quickly looked up and saw his mother distracted and ran towards the other children playing in the park.
As he ran he looked to his feet nervously, and that is why he didn't see the other boy and crashed into him knocking them both to the ground with a thud. Long blonde eyelashes slowly lifted to show widened sapphire eyes, they met with the onyx eyes which blinked in shock, pupils dilating whilst staring into the ocean of blue. A red flush quickly spread across Naruto’s cheeks and warmed his face. A few seconds passed and Naruto didn't move off of the black haired boy their bodies slotted together like pieces of a puzzle. Unfamiliar hands lifted Naruto from under his arms like he weighed nothing at all. The rough skinned hands gently placed him upright and back on his feet. He watched as the same hands pulled up the other boy who stood much taller than Naruto. He had black hair that flicked outwards at the back of his head, straight strands that partly covered his forehead and longer strands hung framing his strong jawline, his pale skin could almost reflected the early afternoon sun.
Naruto stood frozen to the spot he was placed and held his gaze through his eyelashes up to the taller boy who broke eye contact and was looking him up and down. Naruto noticed the taller boy watching him and brought his bottom lip into his mouth and rubbing it against his teeth, hands nervously picking at the threads at the hem of his t-shirt. A much taller male alpha looked between the two smaller boys and ducked down next to Naruto’s ear asking "are you OK little one?" Blue eyes quickly looked to the ground once more avoiding eye contact with either of the dark haired males. Whispering a barely heard apology. Embarrassment quickly flooded Naruto’s face as he began to turn a darker shade of red. He turned and in a flash had sprinted back to his mother who was still talking to the blonde woman with the large chest.
Once reaching the safety of his mother he grabbed the back of her green pinafore and turned around to glance at the dark haired boy whose mouth was slightly upturnt to one side. The older alpha stood next to him with his hand on his shoulder bending towards his little brother as he checked his brother for injuries. Naruto thought to himself about how similar they looked. The Alpha studied his brother before curiosity got the better of him.
"Have you met him before Sasuke?"
Sasuke thought for a moment, he would definitely recognise those eyes if he had seen them before wouldn't he? He hadn't seen a shade of blue like it.
"No but he is pretty don't you think big brother?"
Sasuke replied distracted not taking his eyes off the golden haired boy.
"Hn"
Itachi stood unbending himself as he looked down at his brother who watched Naruto walk away. He wondered to himself about the small boy he just encountered. He started to try to lead Sasuke further into the playground.
Naruto was now holding his mother’s hand and occasionally looking up to see if he was still being watched by the smaller of the brothers when he made eye contact again his tummy started to feel funny like there was something moving inside trying to get out. Once Naruto was out of Sasuke’s eyesight he let out a big sigh and turned to follow his brother stomping his feet more than usual with his cheeks puffed out annoyed, which made his brother smile.
Naruto glanced upwards with a faint blush still spread across his cheeks. His mum gazed down at him a smile spreading across her face as she wondered what had made her son blush.
"This is my son Naruto".
Kushina pulled Naruto from her back and into the view of the large chested alpha. "Say hello to the Hokage Naruto, she also runs the hospital and is the most requested medical ninja the land of fire has".
Naruto sheepishly stepped to the front of his mother and bowed.
"Hello Mrs Hokage, h...how do you do?" Naruto stammered.
"Oh please just Tsuande is fine"
she laughed loudly as she took Naruto’s hand from his side and firmly shook it nearly lifting Naruto from the floor with every upwards shake.
"We are practically family after all, but I am too young to be called Granny don’t you think?"
She grinned down at Naruto. Before whispering into Kushina’s ear. Naruto managed to make out part of the conversation
"...I can do a blood test. It would help us find out more if ....he does... you know..." Kushina touched Tsuande’s elbow as her shoulder was back into the Hokage’s grasp. "Anyway we best not keep you from your work. It's young Naruto’s birthday so we must be getting off."
Kushina changed the subject not wanting to have this particular discussion in front of Naruto and in public. Tsuande smiled down at Naruto again and wished him a happy birthday. Before Kushina dragged him off into the crowds.
"So what do you think of the village? Shall we head to the market you can chose something for dinner birthday boy?"
Naruto nods "it's very crowded I like the quiet of the forest."
He admits truthfully. Kushina lets out a sigh of relief and hoped he wouldn't want to return to the village too soon, her trail of thought was interrupted as Naruto continued.
"Although I would like to play in the park with the other children"
He looked up to his mother eyes full of hope. She lets out another sigh thinking she knew it wouldn't be as she hoped, keeping him out of the village now that he had been was going to be hard work.
Naruto carries on letting himself be pulled through the crowds of people to the market. He stands in front of a market stool and turns his nose up and frowns, small wrinkles appearing between his eyebrows and across the bridge of his nose as his mother picks up different fruits and vegetables that they don't find in the forest. "See anything you like?"
Naruto shakes his head. He becomes easily distracted nostrils flaring and twitching. He follows his nose which led him to a hut where a large man in a white diamond shaped hat is cooking.
"Oh hello there little one, what can I get you?" Naruto doesn't get a chance to speak to the friendly man as Kushina rushes behind him and grabs his arm flinging him around so he is eye to eye with her and begins to scold him.
"Why didn't you wait for me?! You could have gotten lost!" Her eyebrows are furrowed together and her eyes expressing her worry flitting between looking in each of Naruto’s eyes. Not being able to bare his mother’s anger his eyes begin to blur as they fill with unshed tears. He looks down to the ground once more and stutters.
"Sorry mum, it just smells so nice, and... and... I...I thought you weren't that far away."
He looks up to his mother with puppy dog eyes and she can't help but melt.
"Oh sweetie, we can get some ramen but next time just wait for Mummy. I don't know what I’d do if I were to lose you somewhere".
The village is much bigger and scarier than Naruto thought it would be and he begins to wonder if school would be as scary and if he would see the boy with the black hair there. His mother pulls him back from his thoughts asking what flavour of ramen they should get. They order three bowls of ramen and pack them into Naruto’s empty satchel, his mother’s no longer having any room carrying a big orange birthday cake. They hurried home hand in hand, Naruto excited to see his father and spend the rest of his birthday with his family.
Once they return home nightfall is beginning to creep into the forest. They are greeted with an empty cottage. Kushina and Naruto both let out a synchronised sigh exhausted from their busy day. Kushina sets the dinner table for the three of them expecting Minato home any minute and they sit and wait at the table, Naruto twiddling his chopsticks in-between his fingers. Half an hour passes by and Naruto’s tummy gurgles loudly announcing its hunger.
"I'm sorry Naruto, your Dad must be caught up doing his mission. I'm sure he would rather be home with us. Shall we eat our dinner and save the cake for when he gets home?"
Naruto nods and runs to the kitchen and grabs his and his mother’s bowls of ramen and sets them in front of them rubbing the palms of his hands together licking his lips. Narutos ramen is gone within a minute and he sits politely waiting for his mum to finish her bowl. After they have eaten his mother pulls a large round present wrapped in brown paper from under the table. Narutos eyes widen in surprise and a large grin spreads across his face. "Is that for me Mum?"
"Of course it is sweetie it is your birthday after all, it's from me and your father. He saw it when he was on a mission, when he came home he asked me if you would like it and well...shall we see if you do? Open it sweetie" she passes it carefully over the table avoiding knocking over the vase. Naruto clutches the present and runs around the table and jumps into his mums open arms, planting a wet kiss on her cheek. He rips the paper off and lets it fall to the floor. He holds a large fluffy bright orange cuddly frog at arm’s length rubbing his thumbs over its large black and yellow beady eyes which are decorated a red rim of fur.
"Thank you thank you thank you!"
He shouts grin still spread across his face as he pulls the frog tightly to his chest. "Now you won't have to go to the stream to catch frogs"
His mother giggles covering her mouth with her hand.
"I'm going to name him Gamabunta!"
Naruto swayed the top half of his body from side to side holding his new friend tightly against his chest in a hug.
As the evening turned into night they decide to sit and watch the stars sitting on the porch step waiting for Minato. Naruto is sat to his mother’s side tucked under her arm with his knees to his chest keeping warm as the autumn chill sneaks into the night. Naruto cuddles his frog on top of his knees, his head drooping down onto his frog every few seconds as his eyes close. Fighting sleep his head pops back up again, after repeatedly trying to stay awake Naruto’s head finally rests on top of Gamabunta and stays there. His breathing begins to deepen and even out as Kushina gives one last look into the forest before she carries him off to his bed kissing the top of his head.