Hello everyone... we really gotta stop meeting like this (i.e. only on Christmas.) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. I HOPE YOU LIKE THE PRESENT.
I am so sorry that it's taken me so long. This past year time has just been flying by. I've been trying to find a work life balance (I've been promoted a few times since I last updated and I'm still adjusting) … I sucked at it when I was at school, and I haven't gotten any better. Thanks for putting up with me and my scattered updates. I have an idea of what I what to happen for the last few chapters, so all I must do is write it out. Wish Me Luck!
These chapters were hard because I was trying to show up and downs of their relationship and incorporate how intimacy issues could creep into a somewhat healthy relationship. Hopefully it worked.
Please note: Upcoming instances of sex and fear of intimacy. It's honestly littered throughout both chapters. If that's not you're cup of tea, please don't continue.
If you decided to continue, onward!
~Kurenai Cakes
Chapter 20: Lessons in Parenthood, the Honeymoon Phase and Arguments
They're a little backwards. The intense amount of sexual tension that comes after Hotaru is born is astounding. They'd gotten closer, professing their love but they'd never moved past heavy make out sessions. Of course, their sexual desire decides to awaken when they have a child to keep them awake half of the night—though honestly it began after they stumbled across each other naked and that was before the baby was born.
Flashback
With Hinata
Shikamaru had gone out to help his father with yard work, and Hinata is left in the house alone because the heavily pregnant Kimiko decided to go to Ko's house on the Nara lands to hang out with him and Hana. (She was apparently tired of being in the house with those two lovebirds, so she decided to terrorize another set of lovebirds in the family. Ko and Hana were the closest pair, so the pregnant woman chose them as tribute.) So Hinata decided to take a bubble bath with scented candles. It was a glorious guilty pleasure of hers, being surrounded in warm bubbly water and the sweet smell of rose wafting around her as she listens to music. Its more than an hour before the pruny feeling of her body's moisture leaving her can't be ignored. When she's done and about to drain the water, she realizes that she didn't bring a large towel to dry off with. She also remembers that she is home alone, which means that she had to venture into the bedroom naked.
It takes her a few minutes to work up the courage because she's extremely uncomfortable with the idea that she's walking around naked even if the bathroom is in suite and she's completely alone. It's a weird fact because she visits bathhouses when her friends want to go…
'But then again, I hate bathhouses too. I just love the water because it's so warm,' Hinata thinks as she opens the bathroom door to go into her and Shikamaru's room. Like an idiot, she has her head down and plows right into Shikamaru who is shirtless with a towel around his waist. Of course, the towel falls upon impact because he drops it to wrap his arms around her to steady her.
She's seen him shirtless plenty and on one memorable occasion, in a towel. But this was different because she had never been naked in front of him or seen him completely naked! Like an idiot she tries to look anywhere but his face, so she looks down to where she sees his lower half in all its, his glory. And she realizes that her naked body is touching his; their everything is touching. On reflex she tries to look away, idiocy taking effect once more as she looks up to his red face.
'We're naked!' she thinks dumbly. Her face heats up at the thought, and her head swims. Her hands instantly move to cover vital parts, cringing at the pale pink scar on her stomach. 'I wish he'd never seen that'
With Shikamaru
He catches her before she crumbles backwards. To his relief, his troublesome wife doesn't wake up as he picks her up, lying her down on the bed, desperately looking away from the warm skin that he's never been privy to. Sure, he sleeps with his hand around her waist every night but having the opportunity to see the curves that he feels is something different. And boy do those curves that he's seen match the ones that he feels every night. He knows that this is an accident, and he wants to see her naked under more favorable circumstances—so he ends up tucking her underneath the covers. Then he's running to the dresser, pulling out his underwear and clothes, and out of the room. After he puts on his clothes, he doesn't dare to reenter, not until they've had a talk. Because if they didn't, everything would be troublesomely awkward
'Uh, such a troublesome, beautiful woman,' He's always thought it, but right now, with in full nudity, her beauty had taken another level. And he can't help the heat that rises to his cheeks as his mind goes back to the expanse of pale skin and curves that his wife accidently graced him with. He collapses on the couch, grabbing the remote to turn on the television to kill time while he waits on her and the conversation that he knows that they need to have.
It takes a few hours for her to come out of the room, though he knows that she had woken up over an hour ago. It means that she was too embarrassed to face him, meaning that she'd had many pep talks with herself to even open the bedroom door. He looks up when he hears her shuffles down the hallway to the entryway of the living room.
He turns to face her, and he's relieved that she has on clothes—thank the heavens because he couldn't go through that again. His face heats up involuntarily, mirroring the tomato red color of her round face. All thoughts of them needing to talk goes out the window; he wants nothing more than to bury the event. It takes a few seconds for him to muster up words to say, "we'll ignore it…it was a troublesome accident~" she doesn't let him finish saying that it was an accident.
"I-I'm sorry that you had to see my u-ugly scar." Is what she says, and it takes him a few seconds to realize what she is saying.
All he processes is the word 'scar', and he's up from the couch, "What?"
Of course, she panics and tries to turn around and run away, though she doesn't make it far because his shadow ensnares hers.
He slowly stalks toward her, forcing her to do the same "What scar?" Because of all the things that he saw, a scar was the furthest thing on his mind. It makes him think that she's been hurt recently, so instantly he's in front of her, dropping his jutsu as soon as he can touch her. For some reason his mind flashes to how she was fisting her shirt in her hands when she came out, so that's the first place he looks. Gripping the hem of her shirt, he pulls up the fabric revealing her pale stomach.
Of course, she freaks out. He doesn't get to see more than a small faded pink scar. With a growl of "Don't touch me," Hinata blurs before his eyes. He find himself pushed onto the floor; his arm twisted in a horrible angle. The Nara holds his breath, unwilling to defend himself for fear of hurting his wife, who he's unknowingly triggered, and for fear of her dislocating his shoulder or breaking his arm.
It's a tense few seconds, their breathing being the only sound in the room…that is until the telltale sounds of the door opening startles them both and his let go. He doesn't have time to get up before Kimiko steps through. She's about to let out a greeting only to stop and say, "Wow, what the hell is going on in here."
Shikamaru has no idea how to answer that; he's still on the floor, Hinata right behind him but standing. Hinata is no help because she just squeaks in embarrassment. He must cover, "Nothing Kimiko, we were just playing around."
"Why are you on the ground, Nara?" Kimiko asks.
"Your cousin doesn't know her own strength."
Hinata is back from wherever her mind went and instantly at his side, squeaking out an embarrassed "S-sorry" as she helps him up from the ground. It's a step back from when they promised to try and get better, but he remembers her story of the man who tortured her and possibly took away her ability to bear children. So, like a coward, he doesn't push the subject.
He's rewarded when they go to bed and she grabs his hand, she pulls up her shirt and places it on the pink scar he's seen earlier. The skin is brighter than the rest, and she tells him that this is the gift she was bestowed from the dead bastard.
.
.
After Hotaru is born, the tension that this even brought up is buried down even further.
MONTH ONE (March)
The first weeks after Hotaru arrives are some of the most stressful one of their lives. It's a whirlwind of emotion. Unlike Ai, Hotaru is their child and they can't just a hand off the baby to other family members just because of stress and lack of sleep. Not that they wanted to. They're idea of life and its purpose shifted with Hotaru being at the center of their universe, where he belongs. He's not a particularly fussy baby and spends most of his time looking at his parents, eyes wide in wonder. They enjoy every feeding session, always together.
TWO MONTHS OLD (April)
With No One
The second month of Hotaru's life ultimately flies by in a haze of bottle feedings, baby vomit, changing clothes and whatever the hell comes out of his diapers besides pee and visits from their friends and family who only want his cuddles until it's time to change said diaper changes…oh and their baby's first smile.
With Shikamaru
"Shikamaru! Shikamaru!" They'd long since given up on changing him together, opting to take turns. Apparently, it's his turn because despite not listening to Hinata's hissed whisper of his name, he's unceremoniously kicked in the side until he groans, "Okay!"
He's hazily changing Hotaru's diaper at ass clock in the morning. Hotaru's little face is red and his pale blue eyes are wet and red-rimmed, something that makes the young father kind of want to cry even in sleep-addled state.
"I'm sorry little guy" Shikamaru finds himself apologizing to the child despite having done nothing wrong, as if he could keep the child from feeling the discomfort of his own bodily functions. He quickly picks the baby boy up from the changing table and lays him on his chest. "Come, on. I'm sorry." Shikamaru apologizes once more as he rubs the little one's back. This devolves into a comforting baby talk to stop the Hotaru from crying. It doesn't work right away.
"Hey, is everything alright Shika."
"Yeah, someone's just a little grumpy."
"I'll go make a bottle."
He just 'smiles' before letting out a small fart.
.
.
With No One
By the time he's two and a half months old, they're burnout. But they are both too prideful to ask for help, so like always, it's forced upon them.
With Kurenai
She and Ai are going to visit Hinata, Shikamaru and baby Hotaru. The little one has been on Earth for a short amount, and everyone has been giving the new parents time with their young one since he left the hospital. But
When Shikamaru opens the door to their home, Kurenai is instantly on alert. He looks exhausted and he has a baby bottle in his hand.
"Hey Kurenai-sensei. Hey Ai." He smiles at them, though it doesn't really reach his eyes. Her husband's favorite student doesn't stay at the door long because the sound of a baby crying has him moving.
Kurenai guides into the home, and they follow the child's godfather to where baby the unhappy baby Hotaru and Hinata are bound to be. When the mother and daughter make it to the room, the young father is handing the bottle to the young mother who quickly places the nipple into the child's mouth. Instantly Hotaru is preoccupied with feeding instead of voicing his displeasure at the feeding delay.
Kurenai is standing next to Shikamaru who's somehow found himself with arms full of Ai. They are watching as the blunette feeds the baby "how are you, honey?"
"W-we're good; just a little tired."
After a few minutes, Hinata is practically falling asleep, accidently angling the bottle wrong, causing baby Hotaru to furiously suck the bottle to stabilize it. Hinata turns to Shikamaru, "A little tired, huh?"
"We're still adjusting sensei." He's defensive, and she instantly understands. Sometimes she forgets that world they're still teenagers. They're not even eighteen yet, and here they are married with a baby. (A.N. she doesn't know that Hotaru isn't biologically theirs, but I think this still stands.) They're mature, but a new baby was a lot of responsibility, especially an unplanned one.
When Ai was a baby, she felt weak when people saw how tired she was in the beginning. The thing was Ai was planned; the only unplanned aspect of the sequence of events that came afterwards was Asuma's untimely demise. Baby Hotaru wasn't planned, and because of that she wasn't ready to be a single mom. But at least she's was an adult. And she struggled, they helped her out as much as they could.
After putting Ai down, Shikamaru goes to take the child from Hinata. "Tsuki, give him to me and you too go to sleep. You're exhausted. Hinata doesn't move, eyes closed but she's still cradling Hotaru and feeding him. He gently shakes her awake, takes.
Once the child is out of her arms, Hinata leans back into the chair she's been sitting in and closes her eyes
"Hinata…Hinata?" Kurenai calls out, only the blunette doesn't acknowledge her. Hinata was fast sleep. Turning back to Shikamaru who's dark brown eyes were rimmed with dark circles, Kurenai knew what she had to do.
"You both look exhausted. Give him to me and get some shut eye."
"I've got it." The brunet says. His voice sounds so much older than he is, and she knows that she can't leave them like this. She knows the feeling of having a baby throw your sleep cycle so far off course that you can't tell, so she doesn't let him decline out of pride.
Walking up close to her husband's favorite male student Kurenai holds out her arms once more, "I know that you've got this…that you will get this. But I also know that you're tired. And you need rest. Both of you do. You helped me all the time when Ai was first born. Both of you did. Let me return the favor."
He does hand her the baby after a few seconds then he's getting Hinata to stand. Somehow, he guides her from the room without her ever opening her eyes.
"Thank you."
Ai stays for a few minutes, watching as her mother feeds Hotaru, though the young child quickly grows disinterested after the child is burped and changed. She quickly ditches her mom and godbrother to go and find her godparents, likely joining them in bed for a nap. Alone with Hotaru, Kurenai cuddles the little boy close as he looks at her with the haze of sleep clouding his pale blue eyes, "You one of the luckiest kids in the whole world."
Hotaru just blinks at her before his eyes close.
THREE MONTHS OLD (May)
With Shikamaru
The constant doctor's visits leave something to be desired though because they usually end in the chill baby's tears and Hinata's a well. She can't hold him down, and the doctor believes that having a parent do the deed will help the child relaxed. So Shikamaru must be the bad guy and do it. It always breaks his heart when
Getting called to the Hokage office is normal for Shikamaru and Hinata but being demanded to bring their son along is weird. Shikamaru prepares a diaper bag while Hinata dresses their son in his warmest sleeper, a light brown one covered in little lion heads; it's a gift from Ko no doubt that had them both smiling especially when they put on the little matching hat that had little lion on the front. They couldn't help but coo and take a picture of their adorable son.
When they pull themselves together, Hinata pulls on her jacket and bundles her Hotaru in a blanket; Shikamaru forgoes a jacket for himself but grabs the baby bag and places it on his shoulder. Then the family travels to the Hokage tower.
When they arrive at the Hokage's office, they see that they aren't the only ones are there. All their immediate family and friends are there, even Kankuro.
"Nice of you to both finally join us," Lady Tsunade smiles as she looks up from her chair.
It takes Hinata a few seconds to realize that someone else was in the room that wasn't normally there. Then she sees the maroon hair and panda eyes. Then she's quickly handing her son over to her to husband and running to her other Kage.
"Gaara!"
As Shikamaru watches his wife, run into the waiting arms of the Kazekage. The red-haired male picks up and spins her around like Ko frequently does but Shikamaru doesn't feel like he does when the latter occurs. His heart beats fast, uncomfortably.
Ko comes up to stand beside him, nodding in greeting before holding out a finger for Hotaru to grasp. "Don't be jealous."
Of course, Shikamaru tries to retort only for it to come out as a whispered lie, "I'm not…I'm not."
But he's lying. Outside of their male family members and friends, Shikamaru hates the bubbling jealously that rises. He's always told himself that he'd never be that guy, but he can't help it. That's something he realizes she pull Gaara closer once he puts her feet on the ground, shoulders moving as she breathes in the redhead scent like she hasn't see him for a while. It's weird, but Shikamaru feels threatened as watches Hinata squeeze another man, someone outside their main group of family and friends. But the way that she's hugging him means that there is history, one that he's not exactly privy to. And that put him at a disadvantage. It's an irrational thought, but he can't help but feel inadequate compared to a Kage, a young Kage.
Ko must sense is unease growing further because he says, "Gaara and Hinata are not romantically inclined toward one another. "
"She mothers him more than anything."
"Mothers him?"
Ko takes moves his eyes from Shikamaru's only to slide them over to Hinata and Gaara. Shikamaru's eyes follows his, the dark brown orbs growing wide at Hinata's stance. She's pulled away from the redhead—FINALLY—hands on her hips, lips quirked in a way that shows disappointment. Gaara's stance has also changed, his hand coming to rub the back of his neck in such a Naruto move, an award smile on his face and his eyes are darting everywhere but on hers. It reminded the Nara of the looks that his mother gave him when he screwed up. That's when Ko's words click.
'Oh, she mothers him.'
"You're exhausted." The Hyuga-Nara says to the Kazekage.
"He is a Kage, Hinata. Of course, he is exhausted." Ino retorts for him as she and Tenten moved toward them.
"Sleep is unnecessary."-Gaara
"That's a lie my Lord and you know that you're full of shit." Tenten says.
Hinata smiles at her friend for helping her out. "It is, but he never listens."
"Why are you ganging up on me." Gaara replies, his voice weirdly whiny and VERY DIFEERENT than the usual monotone that Shikamaru had ever heard from him
"Because we can!" the dark-haired girls reply with a smile that the Kazekage reciprocates. Tenten and Ino join Hinata in cornering him; and they just wrap their arms around them in an awkward group hug that gets even worse when Kankuro joins in.
"Ko is not coming over here." Gaara says with a grin, looking up over Hinata's head to Ko, who just rolls his eyes.
"I would rather hug my little lion's little lion," Ko says as he moves over to Shikamaru. The elder Hyuga stands in front of the Nara and holds out his arms. It takes a few seconds for the Nara to pull his eyes from the group hug that his wife is engaging in to see that his cousin/brother-in-law is holding his arms out for Hotaru. He hands the baby over.
"Here he is.
Tsunade is the one who breaks up their hugging. "Sorry to break up this lovefest, but Gaara can't stay here hugging you three knuckleheads forever." They pull away from the Kazekage, staying close to him. "He's only here for three days."
"What?!" Ino screams.
"Sorry, it was hell to get off for these days."
"Why did you come if it was only for three days." Tenten replies.
"To see, Hinata of course."
"What are we chopped liver?" Tenten puts her hands on her hips and smirks.
"Of course not, but Suna has a new citizen that was born outside of the land of Suna. It's not an everyday occurrence." Gaara retorts with blank face as he turns his head toward her. The brunette's only response is a huff of laughter. Then the redhead is turning back to Hinata "You're a mom…wife and a mother."
"Yes."
"You move very fast… Like Ino always said, it's always the quiet ones"
"Shut up." Hinata's shriek is the sound that makes Hotaru uncomfortable because he begins to cry in his Ko's arms. She's covering her face in mortification, and Shikamaru laughs because it's so funny how she's so embarrassed about the things she's taking credit for.
"Wh-why are you here." Hinata lifts her hands.
"You're a wife and a mother, and before I was busy, which meant I had to send Kankuro in my stead. You all suffered greatly "
Kankuro's indignant "Hey" is ignored because Gaara, "I missed important milestones in one of my friend's life because of my duty. And I didn't want to miss anymore. Suna owes your team a great debt for what trials you endured to help us on that special mission, and the least I can do is give your child recognition as a Suna citizen."
"Thank you, Gaara." Hinata says while Shikamaru does the same. They both smile at one another, staring a second too long before someone coughs and brings their attention back to the room. Shikamaru feels a lot of pride at the blush that covers her face when she and the fact that she stutters out, "But if you don't mind me asking, how will you do that?"
Gaara just takes his gourd off his back, uncorks it and pours some sound in his hand. Then he looks instructs Hinata to take her Hotaru into her arms. When she does, Shikamaru watches in fascination as Gaara uses is chakra to call forth the sand in his gourd. The sand moves to settle around his hand in some sort of glove fashion and then he takes the sandy hand and gently draws what the Nara assumes is the symbol of Suna on Hotaru's head as the pale eyed baby looks up at him. When he's done, the redhead sprinkles a little bit of sand on the baby's hair before taking the child and holding him up for the whole room to see like there was a change other than his dark brown locks being speckled with sand.
Shikamaru feels his eye twitch at the scene because this is utter bullshit.
The room, which had been silent for the ceremony, is filled with the loud sound of Tsunade and Kankuro's laughter.
"Shikamaru can't hold in his ire "That's it?"
"Yes, that was just symbolically pointless, but I thought it'd look cool…now she has to fill out paperwork."
"Kage!" Hinata, Ino and Tenten scream in unison, "Shouldn't you have started with that?"
"I wanted to be dramatic."
They each whack him with an open palm. He smiles right through it.
Shikamaru can't help but look at his son who is in the Kazekage's arms and staring back at him. Shikamaru raises a brow that he swears his son mirror's and he can't but think that they share the same thought. 'How is this my life?'
Two Hours Later (Still with Shikamaru)
At some point, Shikamaru steps out onto the balcony that the Hokage office has. He's quickly followed by non-other than the Kazekage himself. "There was another reason that I came to see you."
"What was it?"
"We weren't formally introduced before when you were with my sister." The Kazekage turns and holds out a hand for future Clan Head of the Nara to shake.
"What does that have to with—" Shikamaru begins to retort because Hinata has nothing to do with Temari. Temari hurt him and
"I've been told that sometimes people begin patterns of breaking up with people for the thrill. While I hope that is not the cause, I just wanted to let you know that if you hurt Hinata or that child, I will kill you. '
Shikamaru retorts with a snort. "For the record, she broke up with me, so that means she hurt me first." Shikamaru inclines his head back to the room where Hinata is holding Hotaru and smiling down as the other people in the room, fawn over every breath he takes. She looks up after a second, catching her husband's eye and smiles blindingly. Shikamaru returns it before turning back to the man, who's hand he's been awkwardly shaking for well over a minute. After letting go of the man's hand, Shikamaru finally replies with a, "As if I would ever. They're my world."
And Shikamaru means it with every fiber of his being. There is also something that burns in his mind as soon as he made his declaration "You didn't want to kill me for Temari. Why is that?"
"I did, but she told me that she broke up with you then you moved on. She also explained to me the concept of soulmates. She said that she believed that you and Hinata were destined. After what I saw today, I see it too. You love them a lot."
"Of course." Shikamaru pauses for a second before he replies with a hesitant "Do you love Hinata?"
"Of course, but not in the way you think." Gaara laughs. "I'm not in love with her or even attracted to her. She reminds me of what I dreamed my mother would be like once I understood that the one-tailed demon wasn't my mother"
"Possessive…I've heard that could be both good and bad, just make sure it stays on the good side hm?" Gaara smiles again. "She feels like family. They all do… is because they're citizens of Suna as well. Her, the child and the Father. Don't forget that you signed papers too"
Shikamaru nods and the redhead is going back inside.
.
Later that night
With Hinata
Hotaru is in his bed and they have the baby monitor on. Hinata is in bed waiting for Shikamaru to return from taking his shower.
"I love you, Shikamaru. And You have nothing to be jealous of. Not from Ga-Gaara or anyone else."
"I…" He begins to defend himself, but he can't because her eyes are bright with knowing and her lips are quirked in amusement, "You saw that huh?"
"You weren't su-subtle at all."
He doesn't say anything right off. He just goes to get on his side of the bed.
FOUR MONTHS OLD (June)
Sleeping next to Shikamaru should have taken on a new meaning after they saw other naked. The weird thing is they'd seen each other naked months ago, but she wasn't able to dwell on it because soon after it happened, the baby was born and anything that didn't deal with him was buried deep below the surface. Until now that is
Hotaru begins to settle a little bit, giving the parents a small reprieve. With the reprieve, the haze of being new parents who constantly feel like failures slowly starts to clear as they get into a little groove. Of course, with that, things that the neglected about themselves become a little more intense also. After the meeting with Gaara, things with Shikamaru get intense.
Often when she wakes up, Shikamaru has an arm wrapped around her waist and is pressed up against her back, a bulge up against her thigh. And she finds herself wiggling out of his grasp, accidently rubbing against his arousal, almost passing out when he moans and grinds back. She powers through and eventually she's is free.
When she starts have her own dreams, she's in trouble.
Lust isn't foreign anymore, and she finds herself lusting for Shikamaru without fail. She dreams and dreams, waking up uncomfortably at his side. Some dreams are easier to ignore than other. The most persistent is as follows:
She's on their bed, naked. There goosebumps on her skin. She's looking up at the ceiling.
There's a head between her legs.
Her hands are tangled in long dark hair.
A sinful tongue roams, and she's feels as if she's transcended as her eyes roll closed.
"D-don't st-stop" She manages prop herself up in order to look down, when he finally decides to look up. "Shi-Shika"
He smiles up at her, mouth twisted in a wicked grin, his dark eyes piercing hers. There is nothing but love shining, and she finds herself smiling back at him.
His tongue flicks out again.
Jerking awake, Hinata finds herself tangled in the sheets on her bed, her hands tightly gripping onto the fabric in a similar fashion as her hands were gripping onto his hair in her dream. Jumping out of the bed as if it was on fire because he's there, she rushes into the bathroom in order to wash the dream away.
"Where the hell did that come from?" she thinks as she stands underneath the spray of the shower head. As the warm water pelts her skin, flashes of the previous night came to mind. It does nothing because s
But she doesn't because, that feels like another part of herself that she'd lose if they took that step. Of course, like in all steps of their relationship, she's scared. Because it's new to her, real—like everything with Shikamaru.
And she wants nothing more than to give in to temptation, to touch herself, to have him touch her, but something always stops her when she's about to ask.
FIVE MONTHS OLD (July)
With Shikamaru
Hinata was sick. There is nothing more awkward than going to a store with your five-month-old son strapped to your chest and perusing the aisle for tampons. Hinata had been in too much pain to come herself, cramps causing her stomach to convulse and spasm uncontrollably. She's been in near tears while trying to get up from the bathroom floor, and he couldn't let her go out like that.
Stress apparently was trigger to stop them from coming, and within the last year—a full twelve months had passed in such a blink of an eye, so much happened in such a little time and , Hinata had been nothing but stressed to the point where she didn't even realize that it hadn't come.(He'd make sure that she would go to the doctor to make sure it was because of stress and no other reasons) And Shikamaru kicks himself because he never noticed either. And Hinata was suffering for it.
Flashback
With Hinata
When she wakes up, it's still dark outside, but she doesn't get to dwell on it too much because the reason she woke up makes itself apparent as she feels another cramp and feels the telltale wetness between her legs. Instantly she is in agony and horrified, both sensations warring for precedence. She quickly untangles herself from Shikamaru.
She tries to search the bathroom closet for any tampon or pads, wracking her brain to remember if she had any or remember the last time, she needed them. It doesn't take long figure out that she doesn't have any sanitary products and that her last period hadn't happened since last May. She also hadn't kept up to date on the birth control shots that female ninja took to reduce their cycles and prevent (most, not all because it wasn't 100%) pregnancy during the job—not that she needed it for the latter reason.
A painful cramp wracks her body, knocking the wind from her lungs and sending her to floor. Unfortunately for her, when she goes down, she hits the sink, knocking out the comb and brush there.
"Damn it!" Hinata curses only for it to dissolve into a pained whimper.
"Tsuki?"
"Don't come in," She cries, cringing as her stomach spasms once more and the fact that she has convinced him to do the opposite of what she wants him to do.
Shame burns when Shikamaru comes into the room, finding her
Instantly, he's at her side asking what's wrong.
She doesn't answer right away. She looks away with a deep crimson blush on her face. But he won't let her get away from not telling him; the action of looking away caused more tears to fall. She knows that she can't avoid the awkward conversation, but she prays that she can. He's told her that he hates to see her cry—like always, he wants nothing more than to fix it, so her avoiding him is not an option.
He puts his arms under her arm pit, gently guiding her to sit up. When she is, he holds her face in between his hands, forcing her to look at him. "Tsuki, what's wrong? Tell me, so I can fix it."
"My period."
'That's something I never thought of,' Since they've been together, he can't remember her having one. He blushes at her words, though his eyes widen as she curls in on herself even more when
"What do you need?"
She tries to answer, really tries but the pain is awful. She doesn't have to because soon, Shikamaru moves to the bathtub and plugs it. The sounds of water filling the tub quickly follow.
"My mom used to take warm baths."
He helps her disrobe and get into the tub. The water feels amazing, instantly helping to relieve some of the tension in her stomach.
"What do you need?" He ask again.
"I don't have anything…" Hinata pauses, "I haven't had one in a while. But I'll go."
"No Tsuki. I'll go. You don't have anything; I don't think you'll want to use tissue." She grimaces at the suggestion. And he knows it must be an awful alternative. He'll never forget the time that Ino had to use tissue instead of an actual lady product when she ran out, only for her to whine and moan until Asuma rerouted them to store to get her necessities.
"That sounds awful."
"I'll go."
Which leads to the Nara's current predicament.
With Shikamaru
There are rows and rows of products, different sizes and colors. There are so many options. Shikamaru can't help but feel intimidated. It's a troublesome feeling because it shouldn't be this troublesome. The father looks down at the wide-eyed child who apparently is just as overwhelmed as his father is because Hotaru's pale blue eyes. "What are we going to do buddy?"
Shikamaru swears that the child quirks a brow and blows spit bubbles as he babbles.
"I don't know what to get either."
Like he thought before o many troublesome options, so he grabs one of everything (tampons and pads alike) and the strongest medicine he find, loading all the items into the portable cart. Then he heads to the candy isle for her favorite chocolates.
"Cute kid," the cashier, a middle-aged man with short salt and pepper hair and a goatee says as he makes a silly face at the beautiful child attached to the Nara. Hotaru, the little people-lover loves the attention and happily giggles at the man.
"Thanks" Shikamaru says as he pours the contents of the small basket of not the counter. The other man's eyes widens once he's finished unloading the items for a purchase. "Isn't this a little excessive?"
Shikamaru's face and neck burns intensely as troublesome embarrassment floods in. "I didn't know what she needed. I needed to cover my bases."
"That a lot of bases covered, kid." The cashier's laughter follows from the store.
'Not all of them,' Shikamaru thinks as he and he takes Hotaru to the Hinata's favorite bakery to pick up food.
SIX MONTHS OLD (August)
With Shikamaru
When Tsunade calls him into the office, her eyes are all-knowing in the same manner that his mother's eyes are. And if he's being honest, they look they have is strikingly like Hinata's when he comes back from rocking Hotaru to sleep despite her instance to not because he will become depend on it. Shikamaru knows that she does the exact same thing, so she's not exactly allowed to talk. "A little birdy told me that you were going a little stir crazy."
"Hinata" his mouth and his brain says. He feels a little offended because he's been fine. He's been with her and Hotaru every step of the way. He's
"Told me you organized all the cabinets and all of Hotaru's clothes by color. Never thought that Mr. 'Everything is a drag and too troublesome' would ever get bored of having nothing to do bored sitting at home." Her voice is colored with mirth, but he finds the situation far from funny. He feels soul-crushing guilt because it feels like that what leaving her alone to go to work is doing.
"I love my son."
"It doesn't mean that you don't love Hinata or Hotaru."
"I can't leave them for missions."
"Not every job requires you to leave the village. You've worked at the Academy before. You're allowed to go back to work kid. Having a child doesn't stunt you career or life unless you give up. And if you do, don't blame the child if you have regrets."
"You're offering me a job."
"Yes."
"I'll think about it."
.
.
He ends up going to his childhood home instead of home with his wife. He opens the door, intending to go and pass out on his bed as he thinks it over. He doesn't make it past the front room because his parents are both on the couch reading. He walks up to his mother and blurts out, "Do you have regrets about staying home with me?"
His father excuses himself, opting to let his wife take care of It since Shikamaru went to her first. He leaves with an, "I'll be outside."
"What? No. I chose to become to cut my duties short, but that never meant that I stopped worked or training. I work from home; I work in the hospital and the. You know this; you've seen. Why would you ever ask me that?" Yoshino pauses for a second before her dark brown eyes squint, "Hinata won't think that you're abandoning her if I get a job."
"I'm her husband, Hotaru's father. I should be there."
"There is no rulebook to marriage or child-rearing. Each relationship is different.
"I don't ever want to do what her father did to her mother." Shikamaru hates the fact that he's bringing up the deceased woman, knowing that his mother still feels guilty, but he can't not bring her up. Hinata's parents' relationship was a huge part of her early upbringing because it went from being okay to destroyed until the elder woman died.
"Haruhi."
"Hinata's told me about it, you know. How her mother was always there, how Hiashi used sometimes miss dinners, bedtime stories, birthdays and quality time before the sealing. And then when Haruhi was sealed, Hiashi was still distant but it was better only then Haruhi was angry and hurt. And then when she was gone, Hiashi did his best, but he was a single father and Clan head. So, Ko picked up the slack for Hinata. For Hanabi, both he and Hinata had to pick up the slack."
His mother stands in front of him, she tilts his head to look down at her. When their dark brown eyes meet, she says "You don't want to abandon her. Ever."
Then she is sighing as her eyes fill with "Everything with you is so intense…I wished that you both dated a little before all of this. You sacrificed a lot for her. "
It honestly never felt like he'd lost anything. With Hinata he'd gained a whole new world, and he was ready to build their future together. "She sacrificed everything for her sister."
"And that's admirable, but that doesn't mean that you had to do so in turn. Shikamaru, you must realize that you've sacrificed your future to a certain extent. Most Jonin with Genin teams doesn't have children. Most Chunin who teach don't have families either. Everything is different because you chose to be a husband and father so young. You were enthralled, curious. Intensely, and she was just as awestruck by you. But you didn't date. You fell into this whirlwind once in a lifetime romance and now you're married with a child. You never got to experience the true up and downs of a relationship –the kind that come with time— because you never really had one. And now to throw in a baby, your careers, being from prestigious clans. It's a lot, Shikamaru."
"You say that as if I regret it."
"Maybe not now, but you have to understand that you may in the future to some degree. You are bored just playing the family man."
"I'm not bored."
"You are. Yes, you are happy, but husband and father is only a part of who you are. You are sill and ninja a of Konoha, and the next Clan Head of the Nara Clan. He comes first, yes. But that doesn't mean that loving him and her has to be the only thing you are."
"I don't regret anything."
"I know, but you have to realize that intensity can be good and bad despite how good and perfect everything is working out right now. "
"You think what we have is perfect."
"Damn near storybook kid. It's working out but understand that you and Hinata are still in the honeymoon phase of your relationship. There will be ups and downs, worse ones that you've experienced so far. You can be your own person separate from Hinata and Hotaru. It won't make you less of a man, husband or father. They can be separate from you because you're all still growing, evolving and learning"
"You think I should take this job"
"Yes, and when Hinata is ready, she should as well. After you put Hotaru in daycare of course."
"Like you won't make us let you babysit."
"Get out brat and talk to your wife."
Uncharacterizable, when he stands, he initiates the hug with his mother. She tenses in shock before wrapping her arms around him. It's a little award because of the height difference, but he feels the love that his mother exudes. "I love you mom."
"And I love you too."
When he steps onto the porch, he sees his father, sitting and looking up at the sky. Uncertainty twist in his gut. He knows that man was probably listening and knowing how loud his mother can get if she gets passionate enough, Shikamaru knows that his father knows exactly what they talked about.
"Do you think it's a good idea?"
"Have I been a bad father?"
"What, no?!"
"Good." The elder Nara pauses for a second. "I found a balance between being a father, a husband and a ninja. It wasn't easy, but I did. You can too."
Shikamaru nods before stepping off the porch, pausing only when he hears his father clear his throat, "And thanks kid. I always hoped I was okay, but hearing you tell me I was okay… that's one of the best compliments a father can get."
With that, he walks back home to tell his wife that he's taking the academy job. She beams at him with Hotaru in her arms, making grabby hands at him. As soon as the baby is in his arms, Hinata balances herself a little on the tips of her toes to kiss him.
"Congratulations" She whispers with a smile.
SEVEN MONTHS OLD (September)
They forget their one-year wedding anniversary. A teething baby who is now sitting up scooting across the floor whenever he is put down for tummy time takes priority. The only reason they realize what day it is because they're dragged to dinner with their family and friends
Halfway through the dinner where Hinata and Shikamaru whisper the whole time to figure out why they've been treated to dinner only to come up empty. They finally cave in and ask.
"Wh-what's so special about today?" she asks aloud, hopping that someone will finally clue them in.
Her father looks at her like she's grown a second head, everyone is. "Daughter it's your one-year wedding anniversary."
Hinata and Shikamaru's eyes snap to one another.
"Happy Anniversary? "It comes out like an awkward question, and they shrug in unison as soon as the word leave their mouths.
Everyone laughs as their faces flush in embarrassment. Hinata buries her face into the top of Hotaru's head, though it doesn't nothing to hide her. Shikamaru grabs her hand to his mouth and kisses it.
'I love you,' she mouths.
'I love you too.' He mouths back.
Of course, they get a little lost in one another's eyes, which has Ino, Ko, Tenten and Sai screaming "Get a room!" after a few minutes.
With Hinata
Hinata is half asleep and standing with Hotaru in her arms as she warms a bottle under the warm stream from the kitchen sink faucet. He's finally quiet despite there not being a bottle in his mouth—Hotaru is a blessing, a little miracle. But that doesn't negate that it seems as if he was born to sap their energy. He's been particularly fussy tonight—he'd recently started teething and it was hell. His little gums were always in pain and it left him cranky since he was refusing to sleep for more than an hour straight before he's awake again. It's five am, and both Hinata and Shikamaru are exhausted, but he's a little more drained than she is because he'd started at teaching at the Academy a month ago and will have to go in the next day. She'd told Shikamaru to say in bed this last time and she powers through for her baby.
Hinata relishes in the reprieve of her son's silence. He's finally slipped into an exhausted faux -slumber, eyes half open. Hinata isn't fooled though. He'd refused a bottle before they'd put him to bed the last two times, so she knows that his hunger will wake him in about ten minutes. So, she allowed herself to close her eyes for a second.
She doesn't get to rest them long because she hears the soft, near silent sound of feet pitter-pattering across the floor. He's doing it for her benefit, she knows, and she is grateful because if he hadn't, her sleep-addled brain would've panicked and probably went in to overdrive to get her son to safety. She has nothing to fear though; he's her husband after all. "You have it huh?"
She hears the laughter in his voice. "Y-yeah, I'm just waiting for his bottle to heat up."
"Mmhm. Is that why you're sitting in the chair with him cuddle to your chest with your eyes closed?"
"I don't even remember sitting down."
"You're exhausted Tsuki."
"So are you Shika, and you have work tomorrow. I got this."
He pulls the bottle from the sink and squeezes a little bit out of the bottle on his arm test it. "No, we got this"
"Kami, I love you."
"I love you both too."
He doesn't give the bottle to her right of way. Instead, he sits down at the table with her, putting the bottle on the table, which she thinks is because she'd made a mistake and made it to hot.
They sit in a companionable silence for a little while as they wait for the bottle to cool. After about five minutes, he checks the bottle again before he hands it off to her, which is perfect timing because their son has awakened once more in his hunger. Its semi-silent once more as their son's tiny gulps from the bottle. His little eyes are staring right into hers, and she's tired staring at him, her heart filled with love. She can feel Shikamaru's intense gaze on them, but she just assumes that he's just as transfixed by their baby as she is. Instead, when she looks up from his pale blue eyes to stare at her husband, whose face is pensive and guilty.
"What's wrong, Shi-Shika?"
"This is troublesome isn't it?"
"What?"
"Being alone most of the day…I know that me working at the academy came out of nowhere…if you need me to help out more, I can take off."
"C-come here, Shika." He does as she says, coming to stand in front of her. "You are a wonderful father. It's okay if you want to go to work. I'm not going to lie and say that I don't miss you, that it's not hard to be here alone with him sometimes, but you having a job isn't a problem, Shika. Having a child shouldn't mean the death of your career."
He leans down to kiss her while she leans up, their lips meeting in the middle. His hand moves to her hair bring her closer, though particular louds suckle of the bottle forces them to separate.
With Shikamaru
All too quickly, Hotaru's finished with the bottle and is ready to be burped, though Shikamaru gently transfers the baby from his wife's arms to his own, so that he can do the job. Hinata looks at them with a tired smile on her face, her eyes show the exhaustion he knows that is mirrored in his own, as he walks around while patting their son's back.
It takes a little more than five minutes to burp the little guy.
As he rocks his son, Shikamaru's mind plays over the words that she spoke to him when she was telling him that he shouldn't feel guilty for having a job. Her voice was forlorn, eyes sad. That when he realizes that in the whirlwind of their last few months, the fact that she gave her headband back was never really addressed to his knowledge.
'Your career isn't over either, Tsuki' With his little stomach full, it doesn't take long for Hotaru to fall asleep.
Shikamaru puts Hotaru in his bassinet in Hinata and his bedroom, where they'd been keeping him since he'd gotten sick. He grabs a scrunchie off her bedside table Then he goes back to the kitchen table, where Hinata had fallen asleep, face down on the table. Her hair is fanned out across the tabletop and her back. It's beautiful, but he knows that she will hate if it gets tangled while she's sleeping. She'd been lucky during their little naps between Hotaru's crying but he was hoping that she'd be able to rest more than an hour at a time. Grabbing Hinata's hair, Shikamaru separates the luscious blue locks into three strands, braids the hair and then puts a scrunchie on the end to keep his work from unravelling. When it's done, it's not half as good as when she does it, but he is proud. He maneuvers her to around and then picks her up, an arm underneath her legs and the other supporting her back.
When he lies her down in the bed, she jostles a little, eyes looking at the number on the clock in He looks at the clock on their bedside table only to see that its 6:00 am September 22, which leaves him only an hour. But at this point, he's too exhausted to even sleep***
He calls into to work. He spends his birthday with his family.
.
.
Shikamaru decides that for his birthday evening festivities will be quiet. He's going to have a boy's night at home. No alcohol will be involved because that's more Ino's thing and because his son will be around. Meanwhile, Ino decides that she wants to have a girl's night at a bar and that they'd crash at Tenten's apartment after. One requires a parent to leave baby Hotaru behind. It takes a lot of convincing since it'll be her first night without Hotaru. He's happy that they're able to get. He still feels bad about her staying home—it's her choice in the end, but he can't help but feel guilty that he has a job whilst she does not.
.
Tenten's Apartment
With Hinata
They call alcohol liquid courage, and she can't help but agree. Because she can't feel the horrification that she knows that she should be feeling. Tonight, was the first night away from her baby boy, so she'd kind of. Its just Ino, Tenten and Hinata; both Hana and Sakura ended up having to work at the veterinary hospital and at the Konoha hospital respectively because no one wanted to switch shifts with them. They never made it to the bar since the other two guests didn't come; they opt instead to just drink the alcohol that Tenten has in her apartment. Hinata can tell Ino doesn't mind; they hadn't had a girl's night with just the three of them in what feels like forever.
After a few drinks that were probably too big, they are all feeling warm and fuzzy. They're having fun laughing at some ridiculous action movie that Ino chose to watch. Right now, the main characters are busy kissing and pulling their clothes off like their lives depend on it as they get in an-ill timed sex scene before their upcoming final frontier. They really should be preparing for the battle instead of getting it in.
The scene makes Hinata think, think about her dreams about how she desires Shikamaru sexually. Normally, she would never voice her thoughts, but the problem is that Hinata is an emotional and honest drunk.
"What's sex like?" She's asks her best friends. The brunette and blonde are instantly quiet, eyes wide. They blink at one another before turning to her.
"Why do you ask?" They ask in an eerie unison
"I think I want to have sex with Shikamaru?"
"And you haven't yet." Tenten says as if she's trying to figure out one of the world's toughest mysteries.
Hinata's face flushes, though she's not sure if it's because of the alcohol or because she's uncomfortable and embarrassed. She shakes her head.
"Really, I thought the whole marriage thing meant that you two would be fucking like rabbits."
"Tenten!" Hinata. Tenten was a brutally honest drunk who took no bullshit—Ino was too, but she also fell into the category of emotional as well. It made Ino like night and day. One minute she'd be angry and the next she'd be crying—Tenten didn't really care what she said or who she said it too when she was inebriated.
Without that fear, she said stuff like… "What? You were practically eye fucking every time you look at one another."
"We are not!"
"Your kind of were, Hinata." Ino agrees, and Hinata feels mortified. "I thought he tapped that ass months ago!"
"No!"
"Do you want him to."
"No, I've thought about it. I dream about a lot. I think that us running into each other naked has something to do with it."
"Um okay. So, you ran into each other naked for the first time, and we're just now hearing about it."
"That was months ago."
"Months ago," Hinata confirms, as if that makes it better.
Ino says, cerulean eyes staring at the blunette.
To Hinata, it felt like he was looking through her. She feels a little guilty because she realizes that that they really haven't talked in a while. The alcohol in her veins makes the guilt even more palpable, so she's in tears within seconds, "I'm a terrible friend. I'm sorry!"
"Knock it off," Tenten snaps, pushing Ino a little before coming wrapping her arms around Hinata.
"Okay, okay, Mom." Ino snarks, leaning away when Tenten tries to swat her with a pillow. Ino dodges before turning back to Hinata. She stares for a second long, mouth pursed in deep thought before she says, "Sex is when a dude sticks his—"
Hinata finds her face scrunching up in disgust at the description and shaking her head because she knows the mechanics, and she could live without the visual of Sai or Neji naked in her mind, especially the latter because she doesn't know if brain bleach will ever wipe away the any mental image of him….getting it on.
"Not what you wanted to know?" Tenten answers.
"How did you know when it was okay to let go, and be "
"I won't go into specifics…I know it would be weird to have details about me fucking your brother. It was organic…unplanned. One minute we were on my couch having an indoor date and watching movies. The next thing I knew we were making out and in my bedroom. It was clumsy, weird and awful. Every mistake and every move was full of love and adoration on both parts. And that at feeling of love hasn't gone away. The sex has gotten way better though."
Ino continues where Tenten "For me…I was in a bad place after Asuma sensei. Sai came out of nowhere…listening and being their It was so easy to talk to him. The first time like Tenten it came out of nowhere…we didn't love each other first, but he respected me, was caring and I felt like his partner. And you know the rest Hinata…I told you about it, how he gave me butterflies even though we'd seen each other naked, and you told me that he and I should try and give a relationship a try. The sex kept happening and it got better and better the more in love we fell. And the rest is history."
Hinata nods, biting her lip as she feels a little inadequate because she wishes should be spontaneous that way, but she can't, "It's not the same for everyone kiddo. You and Shikamaru have your own pace."
Hinata nods again, the drunken tears falling from her eyes. She doesn't know why she's crying, (See emotional drunk) but she knows that she can't stop it, "W-we're in such I good place. We're so happy. What if I…if this fucks it up.". Her best friends are wrapping their arms around her as she cries. "Do you think he'll leave?"
"Nah, he loves you. Having no sex life won't change that." Tenten says, causing Hinata to choke on a laugh.
"He'll probably get hairy palms or die from blue can survive that though." Ino adds with a smirk. Tenten snorts and Hinata finds herself crying for a whole other reason…laughter.
They regret everything in the morning.
EIGHT MONTHS OLD (October)
With Shikamaru
Hinata is pouting. They've been trying to get their babbling child to finally say legible syllables. Of course, it became a competition to get him to say Mama or Dada first.
..
They'd been in the kitchen, talking as they moved around the kitchen together cooking dinner. Hotaru was in his little highchair looking on as.
Hinata said something to Shikamaru about passing the soy sauce, though he never really acknowledged her because. Hotaru decided that he didn't like his father ignoring his mother, so her started banging on the tabletop and blowing spit bubbles until they started turning into babbling sounds.
Being trained ninja meant the noise caught both of their attention. They turn to their son, and he keeps babbling. Hinata's eyes had widened, and Shikamaru watches as she looks between him and their child.
"Is he talking."
"If you can call that talking." Shikamaru can't help but quip, only to have his arm gently slapped by Hinata.
"Oh, hush you," the young mother says as they both walk up to the highchair. Instantly Hotaru is in her arms.
"Are you talking to us sweetheart. Are you talking to us?" Hinata asks, her voice saccharinely sweet that never fails to make him smile. It's her kid friendly voice, and he loved it, especially when she spoke to their son. She's rewarded an answer when the child looks at his father once more and begins babbling.
And instantly Shikamaru feels scolded because Hotaru's little pale blue eyes are narrowed a bit with his dark brown brows furrowed in adorable frustration.
Shikamaru can't help but think "Are you telling me to pass your mother the soy sauce?"
"So, you heard me?"
"Yeah, I was going to get it once I finished." Shikamaru says, heat rising to his face.
"L-likely story, husband." Hinata quirks a smile back.
He gently takes their sone from her arms into his. With the child in his arms, he quickly reaches into the cabinet for the soy sauce and gives it to her. "Here you are wife."
"Thank you." She presses a kiss to his lips.
"He's going to say mama first."
"Whatever you say."
"I'll make sure of it."
"Whatever you say."
Thus, begins their little competition—war.
She'd be walking through the house with the baby on one of her hips, "Can you say Ma-ma. Ma-ma."
Shikamaru would look on from wherever he was, fighting a laugh at her nonsensicalness and calmly arching a brow. But he's just as guilty because he too asks Hotaru to do the same, though he usually wait until he's alone with the little man. He's lucky that she likes to take long showers and bath because its ample opportunity to teach his sone well.
Ultimately, Shikamaru is the victor, which leads to the current predicament.
Hinata is looking at him and pouting…weirdly.
The morning began with them making the breakfast. Hinata is making eggs and she once again asks her husband, who's prepping the fruit. She asks Shikamaru for the salt and pepper, and he's once again lost in the motions of his chopping., which leads to Hotaru growing annoyed and voice his frustration with a loud, "Da da!"
Once again, Shikamaru feels scolded, but this time he doesn't get a chance to dwell on it because he's so overwhelmed. Once again, he takes the child from his wife's arms and cradles him close, making their foreheads touch. He's so happy for some indescribable reason, and he finds his eyes watering with troublesome tears. He says a water, "Say it again."
He's rewarded with a babbly "Da-da."
"Did you hear that Tsuki, he said my name—" Shikamaru turns to Hinata only to see the weirdest look on her face. Her eyes are tear-filled too, but her lips are poked out as she smiles. She happy and she's pouting.
He quickly moves toward her and kisses her weirdly quirked lips. She tries to deny the lip lock, but she quickly allows Shikamaru kiss. It doesn't take long Hotaru to practically jump from Shikamaru's arms back into Hinata's, only to turn to the Nara and babble "Da da" until Shikamaru is getting Hinata the salt and pepper.
It takes Hotaru a week and half before he's saying Ma-ma. Shikamaru laughs when she sticks out her tongue at him.
NINE MONTHS OLD (November)
With Hinata
They're first big fight happens when Hotaru is nine months old.
Hotaru is sick. They assume that it's just a regular bug. Hinata and Shikamaru kept going on like normal. A couple of the children in Shikamaru's class were feeling under the weather, so they just figured that it was just something that was going around. He went to work, and she stayed home with the baby.
Everything was fine until the second day. Hotaru awakens from his tumultuous nap screaming to the top of his lungs. Hinata felt the baby's forehead and his fever was higher than it was before he went to sleep. Even her prior medic nin training couldn't stop her from freaking out because the next thing she knows he opens his mouth and vomits on her like he had never done before. She quickly cleans him up, throws their coats, scribbles out a note for Shikamaru and takes their son to the Nara hospital. She assumes that she'll be back home before he gets home.
'It's just a little bug,' Hinata tells herself
The simple visit turns into more. As soon as she goes to the front desk asking for an appointment, Hotaru opens his mouth and vomits once more. It's enough to get them put into a room and get a doctor. The doctor examines him, commenting in how.
Thirty minutes after she arrives, Shikamaru comes running in, and they lead him to her and Hotaru. Hotaru is still screaming his little lungs out. Hinata has been crying as well; her baby is hurting and there is nothing that she can do to make him feel better. He reaches for his father as soon as he sees him.
With Shikamaru
When he comes home to an empty house, he's not worried. She's still been going to her Clan's house, having been half living there. It's when he find the note saying that she is taking
Of course, he freaks out and runs as fast as he can to the hospital. When he gets there, he find them in a room. Hotaru is crying his little heart out, red-faced and in agony. She doesn't look much better, pale lavender eyes red rimmed but still pouring tears.
As soon as Hotaru sees him, he reaches out with little grabby hands while blubbering, "Da... da,"
Quickly, Shikamaru is snatching the baby from his wife's arms and cuddling him close. Hotaru lays on his chest, whimpering as Shikamaru paces around to try and soothe him. Looking at his wife, Shikamaru say, "What did the doctor say."
His voice is ice cold and he hates the way she flinches. He's so angry that she didn't call before he came.
"They told me they think it's just virus and ear infect-infection— They checked for pneumonia and whooping cough and ruled them out, though—But his fever is sort of worrisome. So, they want us to stay until his fever goes down. I've given him a couple of bottles with water to keep him getting dehydrated and help cool him down. If it doesn't go down in the next few minutes or so, the doctor wants to admit him." She sniffles, standing and coming to stand. Its out of reflex that when she tries to run a hand through their baby's hair that Shikamaru moves little angling so she can't touch him.
"Sh-Shika?"
"We'll talk later"
They spend the rest of the hospital visit in silence, Hotaru's stuffy breathing the only noise in the room until the doctor comes in. Luckily his fever did go down, and the doctor deemed it acceptable to send the child home with some mild antibiotics for his ear infection and told them to keep the baby hydrated as the virus went through his system.
They make it home where he gives his son half a bottle full of cool water and put Hotaru to bed before he loses it. "Why wouldn't you call me?" He hisses as soon as they are in the hallway.
"What. Sh-Shika, didn't you get my note?"
"WHY DIDN" T YOU CALL ME HINATA!?"
"SHIKAMARU NARA, DO NOT SCREAM AT ME LIKE THAT!"
He heeds her words but not because he's calm. He remembers that the reason he is screaming…their son is asleep, and he deserves to sleep after the night he's had.
"What if it was something bigger than just an ear infection. You didn't even call me?"
"His fever was only a little higher, but I just worried that the vomiting may dehydrate him."
"That's hindsight Hinata, hindsight. I should've been there. You should've let me know."
"As soon as we got there, they were whisking him away, calling you slipped my mind."
"When will you realize that you're not alone! I'm his father, Hinata."
"I never said that you weren't Shika…"
"You thought you knew better. How could I have been so naïve to think that you remembered that we're partners!"
Her eyes widen and she gasps. It takes a second to realize what his words implied, but as soon as they register with him. They register with her. She's goes silent and she turns away from him, walking from the living room where their little argument escalated to their room where they'd put their son.
He thinks she's just going to get in bed, but he goes to their bedroom door to talk to her and say something…to apologize or something. His eyebrows almost reach his hairline. She has Hotaru re-bundled in his blankets and has his baby bag.
"What are you doing Tsuki?"
She just glares at him, "I'm leaving."
"Wh-what?" He stutters out.
"You heard me. Or are you too naïve to understand what I said." She spits back as she cradles Hotaru close and moves closer to the doorway he's blocking.
"You're not taking our son into that cold weather again."
"I'm not leaving my son here if I'm not here."
"You're son? Since when is he just your son"
"Since you're being an idiot…Move Shika!"
"No."
"Move! I can't be here with you right now, you jerk. Since I'm stupid to do anything right. You'll see me leave this time, so you won't have to question why I didn't call." She's crying hard by the end, frustrated at herself and at him.
"I'll leave okay. I'll leave and go to my parent's house or something. Just put Hotaru back to bed, alright? It's freezing, okay."
He doesn't go back home to his parents. Instead, he goes for a walk around the lands near their house before deciding that he doesn't want to be away from him family, especially not after the way he and Hinata left things. He knows that she probably doesn't want him anywhere near her, so he will sleep in the guestroom. When he's on his way to the guestroom, he sees that their bedroom light is on. thinking that she's just fallen asleep with the light on. He's not expecting her to be sitting up in bed waiting on him.
They both look at one another and blurt, "I'm sorry at the same time."
Their next sentences differed from one another, and their words scramble as they accidently talk over one another.
When it comes to apologies he goes first. "I'm sorry for what I said. I was just scared."
As soon as he's finished. Hinata is crawling to the edge of the foot of the bed. She sits on her knees, red-rimmed eyes trained on his. "I was to-to Shika. I'm so sorry that I didn't call. The doctor started naming all the things that his vomiting and crying could be a symptom of and I kind of shut down my focus was only on him. I know that's not an excuse, but I didn't think it would take that long or that he would've been so worried. I never mean to u-undermine you as a father."
He walks closer to the bed, standing right in front of her, "You don't, honey. I should've never said that or questioned you like that. It undermined you as a mother. And I never wanted to do that. I let my fear get the best of me. I'm sorry." By the end of it, he's holding Hinata's hands in his own.
"Hotaru is fine."
"I know. I'm sorry Tsuki."
"I am too, Shika."
"I don't like it when we fight"
"Me either."
***I discovered this phenomenon during my last year of college and its stayed with me ever since.
Tell me what you think, if I should rewrite or something.
Let me know if my mistakes are too much to bear.
Thank you for reading.
Happy Holidays!
Love you peeps,
~ Kurenai Cakes