naru-uzumaki:

_{“How did you deal with such a fear? I can’t get it out of my head, ya know?” So much has happened that he was scared to have anyone near him that would be at risk. Even having Sasuke this close to him was worrisome sometimes. “How did you get over it and decide that everything was going to be okay? That everything didn’t matter except you and tou-chan… And me.”}

_{Maybe his fear rooted from somewhere else…}

_{“What if I can’t protect them…”}

_{“Fear…I guess that’s the perfect term for it,” a pause, hesitantly chuckling as somehow she felt how he felt—-a rather nostalgic feeling. She remembered the times when Minato and her have small talks like this, that would usually end in reassuring words and touches. “I know it’s hard,” a deep breath, before continuing so. “But we still continued—-we decided to have you, no matter what happens, because first, you were part of the family now, and second, rest assured, no matter what happens, the family shall always protect each other.”}

_{Protect—-it’s such a heavy word.}

_{“I assure you—I know how you’re feeling right now,” hesitantly, the woman whispered, lilac optics gazing down their entwined fingers. “But you need to trust not just your husband, or me or your dad, or Kakashi or Iruka, but you need to trust yourself, too. You need to believe in yourself. You need to think you can. Think of everyone you love—-and then, let that inspire you–give you strength, and in time, in deepest troubles and hardships that may come, rest assured that you canprotect them.”}