Naruto had returned shortly after Hinata had woken to find her already in the kitchen preparing breakfast. She wore her hair tied back and hummed to herself as her two children sat patiently waiting. When he stepped into the room, half expecting her to scold him he was struck by the fact that she neither turned to welcome him or bid him good morning. Taking the seat next to Himawari, directly across from Boruto, Naruto proceeded to ask the two how they had been only his polite gesture for conversation prompted a curt remark from his already irritated son.
"You should know, you're our father." He knew well what his son was implying and did feel an ounce of shame at not having spent much time with either of his children. Thankfully for him Himawari engaged much more productively and recounted to her father her time at the academy. The conversation however soon shifted towards his son's antics and the discontent he was causing in the village. Naturally this caused a strange sensation to take over Naruto; he was almost convinced that he was sat looking across at his younger self. A bitter taste coated his tongue as he thought about his past, sitting under the heated gaze of his son.
Breakfast was soon placed before the three, a simple dish that would prove filling but not too adventurous to the taste; Naruto couldn't help but long for the taste of ramen. Nonetheless, all three bowed their heads in gratitude before taking to their meal, happy enough o have something decent in their stomach before they began their respective days. Naruto was happy that his fever had quelled since the previous day, having regained some of his strength due to the remedy Shikamaru had prepared. He had come during the evening when the four were ready for dinner, Temari accompanying him. Naruto thought back to when he opened the door, the two stood side by side, seemingly nothing more than friends despite their marriage status. What Shikamaru had prepared for his friend proved effective in a limited sense and had an overpowering aroma and foul taste, in turn this had made it difficult for Naruto to even swallow the substance but sure enough it had sent him into the realm of sleep. Yet it appeared that the nightmares transpired as always, far too strong for any anaesthetic. Despite the lack of sleep he was not reduced to the screaming fits of a child and woke like he had done before, suddenly and rather alarmed.
"Did you go to see Sakura?" Hinata's words forced her husband to resurface from his private thoughts and to look at her, his expression blank. He nodded, feeling no need to lie to her but he was aware of the slight edge to her tone. He questioned her, wondering what it was the bothered her so only she did not reply vocally and merely looked down to her half empty bowl. Her silence and reluctance to answer annoyed him so he stood and took his bowl to the sink, rapidly washing it before making to leave. His temper was frayed, making him impatient and irritable; he was not in the mood to be ignored or penalised.
Crossing into the open world he was relieved to feel the cool wind against his face, inhaling its fresh scent greedily. Setting off at a leisurely pace he made no rush to get to work, happy to take in the scenery around him and offer his greetings to those who passed him by. He did not intend to see a familiar face but was somewhat grateful to see another of his oldest friends; at first he did not fully recognise his fellow companion, due to his altered appearance which continuously caught him off guard, however, the overly large white canine the prowled his side was more than enough to prove his identity. Kiba turned as Akamaru released a volley of delighted yelps, crossing over towards Naruto. He waved slowly before following suit. Naruto still couldn't believe how much the latter had changed, arguably a great length of time had passed since he last saw his friend but for Naruto it felt unnaturally longer, as if a lifetime had fleeted by without his acknowledgment.
Kiba grinned wolfishly, his eyes retaining the same spark of youth he had those years ago, despite his aged appearance. He stroked the beard forming at his chin as if he himself was uncomfortable with his new grown hair, even if it did give him the impression of an older, more mature individual. With all honesty, the more Naruto gazed towards his friend the more he was convinced the he no longer resembled the free spirited boy of his childhood. Too much had changed in such a short time, Naruto believed he had been cheated of the bliss one experienced over time where change was never noticeable yet he was feeling the exact opposite. Kiba seemed conscious of Naruto's distant expression but did not ask, keeping his opinions to himself. Instead he asked after Hinata, hoping that she was okay looking after such a rambunctious child as Boruto.
"She's okay." His phrasing seemed to set Kiba off, his expression suddenly becoming defensive. It was a simple question, one that needed very little though, so Naruto believed, yet it appeared that Kiba expected a much more detailed answer. Obviously he believed Naruto's response was not as heartfelt as it could have been and he did not appreciate being expected to think in a certain way. So he questioned Kiba about his sour behaviour and waited for a reasonable response.
"Well, she's your wife, I expected that you'd say a little more than 'okay'."
Naruto then apologised, his mood less elevated than when he had left. Now he remembered why he had often avoided Kiba, he had the ability of making Naruto feel a certain way and it was never a desirable feeling, not like in the past when Kiba had been one of the few who chased away any negative feelings that clouded his mind. He wondered, when had he become so distant from his friends?
Realising the time he parted ways with the man and his canine companion, offering only a lifeless farewell before turning down the road which lead to the Hokage's mansion; he would tell Shikamaru about the ineffectiveness of the herbal product and request that another be made.
