𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑪𝒀𝑶𝑵 𝑶𝑩𝑳𝑰𝑽𝑰𝑶𝑵 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

Academy Days ~ Age 9

Time passed.

Days passed.

Weeks passed.

Months passed.

And so...

A year passed...

Nothing changed.

_

"Nii-san... What does it mean to be a shinobi?" To be honest... Minato had expected that question to come one day, but he never imagined he would have to explain it soon.

So soon...

Minato reached his arm forward and pulled the smaller boy into his chest, resting his chin on the top of his head. Damn it... It's still too soon... He was still a child... Barely at the age of nine...

And yet... He was set to graduate in a year and be put on a team... A team meant to do dangerous missions... Put their lives at risk... He could have prevented that, there was no need to involve Aizen in any of that, but... He still did it and now it was too late to take it back.

Aizen was dead set on graduating and becoming a... shinobi.

"... Everyone has their own definition of what being a shinobi means... Everyone's opinions differ". He felt small hands bundle his shirt up and he bit back a sharp inhale.

He was still so, so, small...

He felt him breathe in and a small exhale tickled the skin near his collarbones.

Still so young.

"What does it mean to you?" Came the question he dreaded to hear. A question he had an answer to, but didn't with to burden the little boy in his arms with.

He was still so untainted by the true colours of the world.

Does he answer him? Tell him the truth?

Does he stay quiet? Try and keep him shielded for as long as possible?

...

...

...

"For me...?" The words left his lips before he could stop them.

There was no going back. The time has come.

"Yeah...". He felt the boy nuzzle into him, blond locks, which mirrored his own, brushing across his skin. Minato shifted on the bed and stared at the dark ceiling of his room.

"... Being a shinobi is fighting for what you believe in... I believe in peace and that it is something which is attainable, something everyone has the right to have... A world in which there is no more wars, no more fighting... no more deaths". He felt Aizen move and a weight settled across his stomach.

"Do you have a dream?" His soft voice resounded through the dimly lit room. "Something that you want with all your heart?"

Blue met blue and Minato's world went into a standstill.

He had never seen such a look in his little brother's eyes.

As calm as the sky before the storm, but as wild as the sea during one. Those were his eyes.

Craving something... Something...?

Knowledge? Advice? Instructions?

... A reason fo-!

"Nii-san?" Minato was snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Aizen's voice. "Are you all right?" The boy tilted his head, blond bangs, so similar to Minato's own, swaying to the side.