Pairings: NaruHina

World: Canon

Warnings: non, family fluff, slice of life, a secret revealed!

Bad Hair Day

Boruto was her little ball of sunshine. He found joy in the smallest of things and at the age of three was enraptured with every novelty entering his small children's world. He was a happy kid, surrounded by so much love and without a care in the world, just as it was supposed to be. When Hinata looked at her boy, she felt all different kinds of emotions at once. She was proud of Naruto, for without him the peaceful world their son lived in would not exist. There was gratefulness for his love and for the children he gave her, for her friends, the village she lived in. Sadness because of all the beloved people her children would never meet. But most of all she felt love. Hinata was content and happy, her heart almost bursting at the seams. She wouldn't trade the life she was living for anythings else.

"Mama!", an impatient Boruto called to get her attention,"Shikadai party!"

Hinata gently combed her fingers through her son's fair hair to show him he had her full attention. "We have to wait a little longer until the party starts my love. But you can help mommy with Shikadai's present if you want to."

"Yes, I help!"

Himawari was sleeping soundly in her room ( her little snores audible via the baby-phone on the counter) and the two of them sat on the living room floor surrounded by bright paper and ribbons. "Ok Boruto, which colour looks ni-?"

"Orange!"

Hinata held two rolls of wrapping paper in front of him, one bright orange and the other one light blue. Of course. She wondered if it was just a short-lived phase or a permanent preference. If his dad was anything to go by, probably the latter.

"Good choice Boruto. Now mommy cuts the paper and then you can wrap it around the present."

Hinata cut a piece of paper off and placed it in front of her son. He needed a few attempts to cover the whole carton and she could tell he tried very hard to not wrinkle the wrapping paper by the tip of his tongue sticking out between his lips. Shikadai's present was labeled with 'Pedagogical Value' from a fancy brand specialising in wooden toys. This one a set of bricks (chosen from a list put together by the kid's parents- or rather mother) to 'promote spatial thinking and dexterity'. In Hinata's opinion, Temari really needed to take it down a notch.

She cut a few strips of tape and placed the scissors right next to her. "Well done, now I hold this in place for you and you can put the tape where the paper ends. Right here dear." She put her finger where the wrapping overlapped. "Good, now I finish this and you can pick out a ribbon."

In the end a neat little rectangle, bright orange and adorned with a glittering pink ribbon sat in front of them. At his request, Hinata showed her son how to write 'From Boruto' on the package. She helped a lot and the signs were messy and almost unintelligible but the signature still put the brightest of smiles on the boy's face.

"Mama we goin' now? Shikadai present pretty!"

Hinata pursed her lips and drew her brows together, feeling slightly regretful to put a damper on her son's good mood. "Not yet Boruto. We have to wait until daddy gets home. We can't just leave Hima here all alone." At her explanation Boruto tilted his head to the right and looked straight at Hinata, like she was missing the most obvious thing.

"She can come too!", Boruto exclaimed, his expectant eyes still on his mom.

"That's sweet of you but we still have to wait Boruto. Himawari is too small to go. Daddy will be here in no time. We can play until he comes home, ok?" She could tell the child was not completely satisfied with her answer but an idea came to mind. "You know what, you could do mama's hair for the party. Don't you want to braid it for me?"

"Oh yesss!"

She would have to redo it in the bathroom before they left but in the meantime mother and son had something to pass the time with. Boruto loved to play with Hinata's hair, to brush it or braid it or put clips in it. She assumed her dark, long tresses were just so different from his own blond hair it fascinated him. She pulled the ever present hair ribbon from her wrist and gave it to Boruto. Turning her back on him she helped him out with a few instructions. "You remember how to do a braid right? You make three strands and if you can't hold them just make smaller ones or tell me to help you."

She felt his short fingers comb through her strands, separating them as she had just told him to do. She could tell he took hold of one section by the slight tugging on her scalp. "When there's no hair left to braid you take the ribbon and -"

Snap!

At the sound of the blades of a scissor scrapping against each other, all colour left Hinata's face. Oh no! She turned to face Boruto, a pair of scissors in one hand and long black strands of hair in the other. Oh Crap!

Immediately she reached to the back of her head to find the place where her son had just cut a good portion of hair off. To her relieve it was no total loss, just somewhere above her shoulder. Phew! After the first shock she wasn't even sure if it was right to scold the boy for his actions. She was the adult here, the parent, and should have thought about the scissors still laying on the floor next to her before she allowed her toddler to play hairdresser.

Perfect. Basically she just encouraged her three year old son to play with a sharp object and even turned her back on him. What was she thinking?! He could have really hurt himself while she- no, there was no need to freak out now. If there was one thing Hinata realised early on into motherhood, it was to not cry over spilled milk (sometimes quite literally) but learn from the experience. A defeated sigh later, she reached for the scissors still held in a too small hand and gently took them from Boruto.

"Mama's hair nice. Like auntie Sakura!"

Oh dear..."Boruto, you can't just cut mommy's hair." At her serious, chiding tone his eyes grew large and glossy. "Don't worry. You're not in trouble this time but you can't do that again Boruto. Not with your friends, not with their siblings or daddy or anyone else. Understood?"

The boy nodded his head vigorously, relieved he wouldn't get a full blown scolding from his mom.

"Yes, sorry mama!"

"Ok, I take care of my hair and you go play in your room. Come on honey." After ushering Boruto to his room and leaving him to his toys, Hinata stored away everything that didn't belong on her living room floor and took the scissors and the baby-phone with her to the bathroom. She'd rather lick Gamatatsu's back than admit to what happened in front of the assembled moms. She had a huge bathroom mirror and a Byakugan, she could do this!

"Honey I'm home. Are you two-" Naruto stopped short at the unfamiliar sight before him. "Wha-? When did you get your hair cut Hinata?"

"Oh...well, it was kind of a spur of the moment decision. You don't like it?"

"No, no it's great! Different, I guess? But it's nice, the shorter hair looks good on you darling!" Naruto kissed his wife's cheek and after Hinata and Boruto left the house, he went to check on Himawari, still quietly asleep in her cradle.

In the kitchen Naruto found a small note on one of the counters - 'Dinner in the fridge'. Despite her hectic day, visiting the mall with their small children to get the right gift for Shikadai, Hinata found time to prepare dinner for him and even changed her hairstyle. His wife was amazing!

AN: Do not mix up your permanent markers with the kids felt-tip pens! Cover the whole table with newspaper! Not up to date concerning Boruto, sorry if the birthdays don't add up.