2/11/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Amazing Beta, the Awesome Stickman6969! is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Love. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)
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I Do Not Own Naruto
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Chapter 4
Kakashi had sent him to the front gates to greet Shikamaru and the Suna Shinobi arriving today, to which Naruto was eagerly hurrying off to do. He wanted to ask Shikamaru about how the world was doing, since he had been the first diplomatic shinobi to return; others had been sent out across the world but none had returned as of yet. Though to be fair, it's only been two weeks since the war ended, which would probably mean the world was still being patched up and trying to just get over the war. Kurama continuously pointed this out to him, but it wasn't helping him and his curiosity as he made it to the entrance of Konoha in time to see three figures appear on the old road into the village.
"Hey Shikamaru!" Naruto called out as he waved his right arm up then scowled noticing his flapping sleeve so he waved his left instead. Shikamaru looked up with a scowl on his face, and Naruto noticed Gaara and his sister, whose name was escaping him right now, following Shikamaru.
"Naruto? What are you doing up?" Shikamaru demanded in a stern tone, Naruto rolled his eyes.
"I was discharged," he replied.
"By who?" Shikamaru snapped at him as they started walking through the village.
"Sakura," he stated obviously. If she hadn't signed off on his discharge, then he'd still be in the hospital! "The hospital was overflowing, also she broke two would-be assassins," Naruto shuddered. Two shinobi in full body casts; it just looked painful and her temper had been atrocious after dealing with them, so he wanted to escape the hospital before she came at him with her temper. Kurama had only found her temper mildly nerve-wracking; apparently, Sakura and his mother had something in common.
Their tempers both slightly scared Kurama which was a feat in and of itself, according to, Gyūki's teasing.
"Sakura?" Gaara's soft voice had him looking to his Kazekage friend.
"Yeah, she's been busy with Ino planning Sai's surgery, the Kage returning, and the assassination attempts on Sasuke. It's been a bit crazy," Naruto stated as they walked through the rebuilding village. Honestly, he was amazed she hadn't run out of chakra yet with how busy she's been. He knew her reserves were said to be larger than Tsunade's but he hadn't ever really paid attention to her chakra storage; until now.
"Ino's awake!?" Shikamaru sounded startled which had Naruto looking to the lazy genius of Konoha.
"Yeah, been awake for two weeks," he said remembering Sai's complaints about how Ino was never quiet; but that had been a few days ago, before his discharge.
"And she's been driving Sai nuts!" he sniggered. He liked it when someone managed to actually bother Sai. It was amusing to him because the former Root member didn't always know how to express himself and Naruto like confusing him; it was funny when the girls (Ino and/or Sakura) slapped him because of the misadvise Naruto would give him. Sai was just too gullible! It was quite entertaining; though Naruto tried not to do it as often, now that Sakura had caught onto the fact he was the one giving bad advice to Sai; and taken him for a spar which had left him in a heap of pain and bruises.
"Naruto?" asked Shikamaru breaking him out of his thoughts. "How's Chōji?"
"Awake," he guessed. "At least, that's what Sai said yesterday." The previous day he'd received an ink blob (an attempt at a mouse or something he assumed) which had splattered into sloppy scrawl announcing Chōji was awake; as far as he could decipher before the ink faded away.
"Thanks Naruto… and you should go rest," Shikamaru scolded him. Naruto rolled his eyes, he'd been named the assistant of the Hokage at the moment, he didn't get to rest; thank Kami else he'd go insane. With that in mind he decided he would go back to Kakashi for another job. Running errands was at least doing something, which definitely beat doing nothing. Especially with the Kage meeting coming to Konohagakure and the preparations needed for that!
"Well, I can't! Kakashi's been named the Sixth Hokage while Granny Tsunade's in a chakra coma," well, he wasn't too certain about that; it had been a week since he'd last seen Tsunade. "And I was sent here by him to tell you that the Nara and Akimichi residences are to be used as the Kage Embassies," whatever that meant. "Because all of the inns are filled with the injured and their families."
"Alright," Shikamaru huffed out. "Now seriously Naruto, before you fall on your face, go rest! If you don't Sakura will have your head on a platter!" the Nara man pointed out in a sharp tone which had him blinking as they parted again.
He caught a sight of himself in the window of a rebuilding shop and yawned.
He looked like hell had come and hit him over the head; his spike blonde hair was sticking up at odd spikes, his eyes had heavy bruises beneath them, his face was unusually pale for him, and his body looked haggard. Perhaps he should go nap? After all, it would help him out and Kurama wasn't going to always aid him in healing and getting well again and again. Kurama may like him but they weren't best friends… yet.
Naruto felt he was making progress with the fox though. It wasn't instantaneous but they were on good terms since the war. Now to just keep digging away at the fox; because, like Sasuke, he knew that he and Kurama would be friends.
Thinking this brought a smile of satisfaction to his face as he walked towards the Hyūga compound. As he was walking he started wondering just when he'd have his old apartment back. He missed his own bed; not that the Hyūga compound wasn't a wonderful place to be but it was just too big and quiet for his liking. Walking back into the Hyūga compound he went straight to his quarters and let out a sigh as he fell face first onto his futon and drifted into a deep sleep he hadn't thought he needed.
Hinata walked with Tenten into the hospital, Hinata let Tenten hold her hand because the weapons' master seemed terrified as they walked to the front desk.
"Dr. Haruno, please," Tenten said nervously.
"Top floor northwest corner, room three," the nurse said and Hinata pulled Tenten with her towards the elevator before Tenten chickened out and tried to escape; they had started this trip to the hospital at least once a day for three days. This was the farthest they had made it, and now that they were here Hinata was taking the lead and dragging Tenten with her to talk to Sakura at least. They had made it this far, Hinata was not having Tenten walk away before she spoke with Sakura.
They walked into the elevator together and Tenten was shaking. Hinata said nothing as she propped Neji's love upright on her feet, though she had to admit to herself that Tenten looked like a wreck.
Her normally pulled up hair was down and pulled back in a single loose tail; she was wearing Neji's shirt, clean pants, and the red puffy eyes she had showed her exhaustion and most recent bout of crying. It was amazing Tenten was even up; she looked unrecognizable with how much of a wreck she appeared. But Hinata didn't point this out as they stood there silently in the elevator.
"What if I am pregnant?" Tenten whispered.
"Then we will discuss it with the head of the family," she replied firmly. It was the first time in Hinata's life where she had taken charge of a person;it was strange having to be the one to push back against Tenten's battered, uncertain will when all Hinata wanted was to lend Tenten a shoulder to cry on. Hinata was not like Sakura; Naruto had once described her as a 'boot up the ass' before laughing it off. Hinata just knew that she, herself, wasn't like that, she didn't like pushing people, because people who were pushed too much tended to lash back at her and she really hated it. But she had come to realize that perhaps she needed to push Tenten to at least take the first steps and do this confirmation on her pregnancy.
The elevator dinged open and Hinata pulled Tenten's trembling form out of the elevator and walked towards the northwest corner with her Byakugan pulsing. She could see Sakura and Sasuke together in the same room, both were sleeping. Hinata walked up to the room and knocked on the door, causing Sakura to jolt up.
"What?" Sakura asked as she slid opened the door and looked up at Hinata. Though Hinata was not particularly tall she was a tad bit taller than Sakura. But then again just about everyone was taller than Sakura, as she had come to notice.
"Hello Sakura, I think Tenten's pregnant," Hinata said and pulled Tenten's hand so Tenten came up to her side.
"I was hoping you could perform the tests to confirm this," Tenten sniffled.
"Certainly, uh…" Sakura looked around. "Hinata, could you just watch over him? Knock out anyone who isn't me, Naruto, or Kakashi who tries to come near him, please. I'll take care of Tenten."
"Uh… sure," she blinked as Sakura then dragged her into the room, walked out and shut the door firmly. Hinata stiffened a bit as she crept over to the Uchiha's bed. She hadn't seen him since the war, and she was startled looking at him now. He was so pale, there were dark bruises and scratches marring his face as well as the rest of his body from what she could see. His right hand was restrained by padded cuffs. He looked like hell, honestly; it was shocking to her just how bad he was looking; many of the worst casualties she had previously seen looked much better than this.
The door rattled which had her Byakugan pulsing as she fell into a fighting stance ready for anything that came at her. However, she relaxed when it was Sakura who walked in.
"I'll radio you with the results at the Hyūga compound, Tenten," Sakura said before turning to her. "Thank you Hinata for watching him," she said as she walked over to her. Hinata looked back down at the Uchiha.
"Why is he so…?" Hinata asked softly.
"Naruto and Sasuke had a blood poisoning infection. Kurama took care of Naruto's but Sasuke's… he'll be alright," Sakura muttered the last bit more to herself than anyone else.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Hinata mumbled. She remembered how terrified she'd been when she had thought Naruto was going to die at Pain's hands, she understood the kind of pain Sakura was clearly experiencing.
"It's alright, go to Tenten, she's going to the elevator, I'll radio the Hyūga compound with the results," Sakura said as she gently brushed Sasuke's bangs out of his face.
"I'm so sorry Sakura," Hinata whispered as she hurried away. A part of her had always envied Sakura, because Sakura had Naruto's attention and his affections. She had tried not to dislike Sakura, but there had been times when Hinata had hated her. But then she would see how much like a sister Sakura was to Naruto and she wouldn't feel so hopeless about her one-sided love towards him.
"I don't need sorrys, I'm not the one hurting, Hinata. Just look out for Naruto now, please," she said and Hinata left her alone with the Uchiha. She found Tenten in the hallway waiting for the elevator and Hinata walked up to stand beside her.
"Sakura will have the results soon," Tenten mumbled against her fingers.
"I know," Hinata admitted.
"And if I am…? What then?" Tenten whispered desperately.
"We'll take this one moment at a time," Hinata assured Tenten as the elevator doors dinged and slid open. Tenten just blinked desperately as tears started slipping down her cheeks once again.
"I miss him, Hinata, I miss him so damn much," Tenten whispered. Hinata hesitantly wrapped an arm around Tenten as they walked into the elevator. Neither of them said a word but Tenten continued to quietly cry against her as she propped the slender woman up.
That's all for now folks!
Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)
