Nanny or Mommy

Chapter 8: Talk Shows and Tension

Disclaimer: I Don't own Naruto.

It was late by the time Naruto got home and knew that his kids were probably fast asleep by now. After his meeting with Hiashi, he went to vent his frustrations with his manager. That included having a few drinks that he would probably regret drinking in the morning.

Through the haze he checked the clock on his phone which read 1:00 am. He lost track of time after the first hour in the popular bar. Before going to the bar he made sure to send Kiba home for the rest of the day. He didn't want the man hovering over him looking disapprovingly at him the whole time.

Naruto stumbled into his home with the determination to actually make it up the stairs to his room and not just crash on the couch. The moon was enough light to get him from the door to the stairs. A small part of his brain that wasn't quite as intoxicated as the rest noticed a small shift from the side of his eyes.

Slowly he crept to the area he saw the small movement with as much caution as his intoxication would allow. The first color he noticed was pink. Fast asleep on a thick looking textbook was Sakura Haruno his crush. He wasn't expecting such a sight once he came home, to be honest, he forgot she was in his home.

Perhaps it was the liquor in his system but the drool flowing from her slightly opened mouth made her look absolutely adorable. Suddenly she started snoring making him sweatdrop as the cute image was shattered.

He had to think about what he should do next he was way too drunk to even think about taking her and himself up the stairs. He thought about waking her but he didn't want her to see him like that. Selfish he knew but for good reason.

He could at least attempt to get her to the couch in the living room. Naruto nodded at his own thoughts and decided to stop thinking and start acting. He threw one of her arms around his shoulder and with all his might lifted her up. She wasn't heavy but being slightly drunk wasn't helping him at all. He felt that his legs were going to give out at any moment that or he'd pass out standing.

He successfully made it to the couch and flopped down on it with his nanny still in his arms. He sighed as he watched her sleep quietly not even flinching one bit from being moved. He had so much to thank her for but wasn't sure how to.

Without even realizing it he made a severe mistake of falling asleep on the couch with Sakura still on his lap.

...

Laughter?

That was the first thing he heard when he was waking up from his slumber. The next thing that registered to him was how uncomfortable he was but also warm.

"What is daddy doing with Sakura-chan?" That voice he knew it well but the words didn't quite click since he had a pounding headache. More chuckles of laughter were heard that he just had to find out who it was.

Slowly he opened his disoriented blue eyes and was now face to face with pale creamy exposed neck and strands of pink. It clicked a minute later who's neck he was just buried into and suddenly shot up as if she was on fire.

Bolt laughed while Himawari stared at him with confusion. "Daddy are you ok?" Naruto calmed down his racing heart just in time to see Sakura waking up. The three quieted down and watched as she became aware of her surroundings. She stared blankly at the three of them for a moment.

"Good morning Sakura-chan!" Himawari hugged the disoriented pinkette in a tight hug.

"What's going on?" Naruto immediately covered Bolt's mouth before he could say anything he didn't want him to say.

"You must have been up studying late since I found you asleep on a book and decided to move you to the couch." Sakura stood up and stretched giving him an eye full of her flat toned stomach.

"Thanks, I have a huge test today and ended up falling asleep." Actually, she was waiting for him to come back since she had a few questions to ask him. "Time check?" Naruto checked his phone and almost had a heart attack.

"It's 9:30! Shit! Shit! Shit!" Naruto rushed off up the stairs to find some clothes to wear and a Tylenol to relieve his headache from his hangover. Sakura glared up the stairs where Naruto ran off to for using such language around his kids.

"Sakura-chan are you leaving too?" Sakura looked down at Himawari and shook her head no. Fortunately, she wasn't her classes wasn't until the afternoon so she had time to spend with the kids.

"Not yet so you two have me all morning." She grinned as both of their faces lit up with happiness. She followed the two into the kitchen where breakfast was pancakes and waffles were on plates for them thanks to the chef.

Sakura helped Himawari up into her chair at the island she observed the way the kids ate and how much they ate. She spent some time googling things about three-year-olds and five-year-olds. She wasn't worried too much Himawari and Bolt seemed to be quite mature for their age and that made her happy. If she was going to get them to trust her (if they haven't yet) she would have to be open with them.

The door swung open and in came the man of the house or uh mansion. Naruto was talking on the phone in a heated conversation while tying his tie and failing each time. He usually had the head maid help him with the tie or Hinata when she was here that is.

"I know I'm late Jiraiya just stall for me." Naruto hasn't been late to an interview/talk show in years but in his defense, things were changing around him. Naruto picked up a waffle and bit it. Sakura cringed when he started talking with his mouth full. She noticed he seemed to have given up on the tie and was probably going to the interview he mentioned with it looking like that. "Yeah yeah yeah I'll be there as soon as I can."

Naruto hung up before his manager could say anything else to him. Naruto pecked the top of Himawari's head and ruffled Bolt's hair while saying his goodbyes.

"Naruto!" He turned and watched Sakura jog up to him just as he was about to leave. He eyed her curiously as she refused to meet his eyes and her cheeks reddened.

"Sakura no offense but I'm kind of in a hurry." She grumbled under her breath and took hold of his tie. She blushed even more when she felt his smoldering blue eyes on her.

She tied it agonizingly slow and with no problems or that's what it felt like to him. But in reality, it only took her a few seconds to tie it.

Once she was done their eyes were locked on like magnets. "T-thanks." He cursed himself for stuttering all while fighting down a blush.

Sakura cleared her throat and stepped back away from him with a weak smile on her face. "No problem I'm here to help after all." Naruto nodded and turned to leave damn near walking into the door. He caught himself just in time before he could embarrass himself anymore.

Sakura watched him leave all while her heart was pumping fast. She slapped her forehead for doing something so stupid and hasty. Her boss was quite attractive but that's about all he had going for him since he's such a dick most of the time. She turned around to find Himawari and Bolt looking up at her in wonder.

"Uh how about a game?"

...

Naruto groaned once he got into the driver seat of his car. He was clearly attracted to his nanny but wasn't about to admit that to her. He didn't want to scare her off and wasn't sure how anyone would react to him and her together especially Hiashi. There was also this guilt he felt anytime he thought of the pinkette in any way other than friends.

He checked his phone and saw that he was now about 20 minutes late for his interview. He started the car and put his disturbing thoughts to the back of his head for now.

.x.

"You're late Gaki." Naruto glared at his manager for stating the obvious. Jiraiya looked the blonde up and down. He noticed how tense the man seemed well more than usual that is. "What's got your panties in a bunch?"

"Nothing," Naruto grumbled as he sat in the chair and let the hairdresser and makeup artist do their little touch-ups before he went on. The last thing he wanted to do was tell Jiraiya how he was feeling especially when love was involved. Naruto doesn't think that man has had a stable relationship ever in his life.

"What a load of bullshit." Naruto stared darkly at the floor ignoring his manager who he hoped would give up on trying to see what his problem is. "Ok I can see you don't want to talk about it so let's talk about something else. Didn't your new nanny arrive yesterday?" And just like that Jiraiya unknowingly figured out what was bothering the actor.

"Uzumaki-san you're going on in a minute be ready." Naruto nodded and stood up while patting himself down. He was used to doing interviews/talk shows but that doesn't mean he liked them. He hated them especially when they didn't know when to not ask such personal questions like for instance his sex life which was nonexistent and has been ever since Hinata...

The blonde sighed and touched the tie that his pink haired nanny helped tie for him. Maybe he should talk to someone about his "unwanted" little crush on the pinkette. But who?

"Mr. Uzumaki you're on in 5." He put those thoughts to the back of his head just like earlier as he watched the man's hand signal the remaining time until he goes on. He had to focus on the here and now.

"4"

"3"

"2"

"1"

"Ladies and gentlemen let's welcome our special guest Naruto Uzumaki!" Loud screaming and clapping were the only sounds he picked up as he walked on stage with a big false grin. The crowd was loving it and eating it up too. Once close to the woman who would be interviewing him he gave her a big hug. He did notice how the woman felt a bit too much on him but didn't mind too much he was quite familiar with her desperateness for a husband.

"Well well well it's surely been a while hasn't it Naruto?" Mei Terumi a beautiful and successful woman in the world as a television host who's interviewed many famous people like himself. She could get almost any kind of information out of you if you didn't keep your guard up around the woman.

"What can I say Mei I'm a busy man."

"Too busy for me?" She teased pouting her lip to add extra effect and the crowd loved it.

"Now Mei you know I'm never too busy for you." He chuckled flashing her his award-winning smile that could make quite a few girls faint. There was one thing that always made him feel very uncomfortable whenever he decided to make an appearance on Mei's talk show for an interview. That thing being the way her green eyes would eye him up and down undressing him with her eyes. It made him shiver every time the only green eyes he wanted to stare at him like that was Sak... focus Uzumaki.

"We have quite a lot of things to catch up on Naruto. How's your love life going? Any females catch your eye?" He despised interviews for that simple reason the constant want to know whether he's in a relationship or not. And with Mei, she could tell if you were lying from a mile away and would point it out on national television.

"You know me Mei I'm still single I'm focusing more on my career and my kids." He tried to dodge the full question but the brown haired woman wasn't going to let him get away that easy.

"That's good to keep your focus on those two things in your life but I'm sure there's at least one person you've met that's caught your eye." She was testing him by the look in her eyes and the way her lips slightly curled up.

He pretended to think for a moment to make it seem like his honest answer. "Hmm not that I can think of."

"Oh, really no one at all? You're breaking my heart Naruto." As if on cue the crowd awed.

He was trying his hardest to keep his grin on his face and not tell Mei off. He was caught red handed and Mei wasn't going to throw a bone his way until he gave her something. "There is this one girl." He sighed having been beaten to admit his small crush.

"See Uzumaki not so hard why don't you tell us about her." He heard some cheering coming from the crowd but ignored them in favor of staring Mei down intensely.

"Nothing to tell it's just a small crush and I don't really know her like that. It'll pass why don't you ask me something else." He said smoothly with a small smirk on his face challenging the woman who's own cocky smirk almost faltered.

"Alright, how are your adorable kids." A picture that paparazzi took of them while at the carnival was pulled up for everyone to see. The picture got the whole crowd awing.

Finally a topic he can get behind. "They're fine Boruto is going to be heading to kindergarten soon and little Himawari will be entering pre-school." His kids were his life and without them, he wouldn't be grounded.

"And how does it feel being a single parent?" Naruto's genuine smile slowly fell from his face at her question.

"I'm not going to lie to you and say that it's easy because it's not. We're like any other family with our issues my busy schedule being one of them."

"Name one of the hardest things about it," Mei said.

"If I had to choose it would be the disappointment on their faces whenever I tell them that I don't have time to stay a bit longer with them. And the things that a mother would usually have to do for their kids that I can't and vice versa it's the hardest thing that comes with being a single parent." He sighed while thinking about how his kids felt time and time again.

"I'm sorry...why don't we lighten the mood with some fan questions." Naruto grinned but to anyone who actually knew him it was as fake as the characters he played.

The interview was finally over and he was currently backstage stretching. He looked at the clock and knew that it was almost time for him to go back home and see Sakura off and watch his kids. Luckily for him, her class was only for about two hours and that would be the only one for the day.

"Great going Gaki." Naruto felt a strong large hand land on his shoulder and squeeze pretty tightly. "How come you never told me you had a thing for a woman? You better start reading my books if you ever want to take that next step in your relationship with this mysterious woman."

Naruto angrily shrugged off his pervy manager's hand. "Oh come on Naruto you've been out of the dating scene for far too long you might need some help with this one." The pervert just grinned down at the blonde who looked 5 seconds away from punching the shit out of the man. "But seriously who is this mysterious woman?"

Naruto grabbed the keys out of his pocket and left the studio without even answering Jiraiya. He didn't want to admit it but he was exhausted if his kids would let him he could get a few ZZZs in then he would be off to work again.

Beep

Naruto dug out his phone from his pocket to see who texted him. It was from one of the directors letting him know what time they would be doing his scene later on. He sighed and stuffed the phone back in his pocket but not before replying with an ok. He loved being an actor but sometimes it got truly tiresome.

Naruto sighed and looked at the time he wasted enough time already and if he didn't hurry Sakura wouldn't be able to leave. Naruto silently wondered how many times has he sighed and how many times will it be by the end of the day?

The blonde put the key in the ignition and turned it to start his car and off he drove to his home.

.x.

"1...2...3...4...5...20 ready or not here I come!" Sakura decided since she had some time to spare before Naruto arrived she wanted to play a quick but fun game of hide and seek with the kids. She thought about playing the game outside but there weren't that many hiding spots outside and she liked the challenge she also thought while it'll keep the kids entertained she could learn the layout of the mansion much better too.

So far she has looked in the living room and the kitchen and was starting to think that hide and seek was not a good idea. "Himawari! Bolt!" She called out to them looking everywhere. She really wished she added upstairs as a place they can't hide.

She grumbled to herself as she trekked upstairs after spending about three minutes looking for the kids downstairs. She thought about checking in their rooms but thought that would be too obvious so she went to her room. After searching from top to bottom in her room and the other guest rooms she went in their own rooms starting with Himawari's.

She wouldn't admit it but she was starting to get frustrated after finding neither of the kids for about 20 minutes and any moment now Naruto and Kiba would be here. 'Think Sakura where could they be? Where else haven't you looked?" Great now she was talking to herself.

Suddenly it hit her the last place she hasn't looked. 'Naruto's room...'

She tiptoed to the room so to not alert them that she was on to them and quite angry. But she had to admit they were smart to go to Naruto's room since that would be the last place she would look. The pinkette grinned evilly as she slowly reached for the doorknob to bust the kids and win the game.

"Sakura-chan?"

She whipped around and damn near caught whiplash and had a heart attack at the same time. There in all his glory was the owner of the room (well the whole mansion too) staring at her with confused whirlpools for eyes.

"What are you doing and where are the kids?"

She couldn't stop staring at her boss as he caught her red-handed about to enter his room without permission. She had to hard reset her brain to even form a reply to his question and probably explain why she was in front of his door. If only she wasn't drowning in the depths of his eyes.

"Sakura?"

She shook her head furiously and grabbed his arm and pulled him further away from his room. "Here's what's going on I'm playing a game of hide and seek with the kids and have been looking for them and realized they're probably in your room." She ran her fingers through her bubblegum locks hoping he wouldn't punish her for such childishness.

"Oh." Naruto had to admit he was still processing the whole situation while staring the pinkette down.

"Uh, Naruto are you ok?" She finally looked up at him and noticed him staring right back at her without even saying a word.

He cleared his throat regaining his composure. "Yeah sorry about that. So you're playing hide and seek?" She nodded eyeing him as if he had lost his mind. She found it strange that compared to when they first met he was no longer that cocky son of a bitch.

"Well then let's find them I think you still have some time to spare." She glanced down at her phone and saw the time and nodded.

Naruto went back over to his door and slowly opened it. Both of the adults snuck into the room without making a sound and began their search. Naruto started looking under the bed but noticed that his pink haired nanny wasn't looking but instead observing his room. He let her and silently wondered what she thought of it. He had to admit it was a bit bland but he kind of liked it. Well, it grew on him since Hinata was the one who chose the simple design for it.

She took in the photos on his dresser silently looking at each and everyone but giving nothing away on how she felt about them. Her green orbs landed on the frame that was laying flat down on the dresser. She slowly reached for it to turn the frame over and see who it was that was being hidden from their sights.

Before she could even touch the frame her wrist was grabbed gently but it still startled her. She looked up the arm to the person who grabbed her hand. Naruto...

"G-gomen." He silently nodded accepting her whispered apology and let her hand go.

"Let's keep searching." She nodded herself and went to look in his closet while he went into the bathroom.

Sakura sighed and opened the closet and her mouth dropped to the ground. She looked at all the outfits he had in the humongous walk-in closet. It was as big as her and Ino's room in the dorms. She shook off the shock and continued her search through the mountain of clothes on hangers. She thought she'll never find them but alas a pair of feet stuck out that didn't belong. She heard shuffling behind her and knew Naruto saw what she saw.

Slowly she put her hand on the hangers and suddenly pulled them apart to reveal both of the young Uzumakis. "Gotcha." She said gently before she got knocked over due to the two kids tackling her. She found herself being tackled by them quite a lot but didn't mind they were affectionate kids. That probably came from their mother.

She giggled as they hugged her and also laughed and joked how long she took to find them. "What I don't get a hug for helping? I'm wounded." The kids looked up surprised to find their father standing there with a small pout.

"Dad!"

"Daddy!"

He grinned as he watched them scramble to their feet and run up to them. Despite being tired he still was able to pick both of them up at the same time. He pecked both of his children on the temple glad that they weren't still upset at him for yesterday. "Well, I have time to spare so why don't we do what I promised yesterday." Himawari looked absolutely happy while Bolt looked slightly saddened. "Then I'll teach you how to ride a bike as I promised some time ago." Like magic Bolt's smile returned tenfold. There goes that rest I'm probably going to need later.

Sakura watched the scene silently from the floor happy that Naruto was finally learning.

"Now you two say goodbye to Sakura-chan since she has to go pretty soon." Naruto let Bolt and Himawari down so they could hug the pinkette one more time before running off.

Naruto held out his hand for the pinkette to help her up which she took eagerly. "Well, it's time for me to go I'll be back as soon as possible so you can do your job." She smiled sweetly up at him noticing that he had yet to let her hand go. "Uh, Naruto I sort of have to go."

He snapped out of his trance and quickly let go missing her small but warm hand. "R-right." If she looked closely she would have noticed how pink his cheeks were getting. He watched her leave the closet and silently followed her until they were downstairs. She picked up her bag and textbook and before she left he cleared his throat catching her attention.

"I'll see you when you get back." Sakura stared at him straight-faced for a moment before grinning brightly.

"Of course Baka." She chuckled as she left the mansion and got into the car with Kiba.

End

A moment of silence for this being my longest chapter on this story thus far. The creative juices were flowing before I went to bed and when I woke up completing this chapter in less than a day. I sat through the torture of editing for you guys because I missed this story and I know you guys missed this story so here it is. Since those juices are still flowing I will keep going I am now in the process of writing chapter 9 but this time I'll take my time. Before I upload this story again I want to try to get my other story updated.

Just to address a review I got I wouldn't say Naruto is an idiot for leaving to speak with Hiashi his priorities are just in the wrong place. Hiashi is a very powerful, dangerous, and controlling man and the grandfather of his children he wouldn't "disobey" Hiashi and risk being on his bad side. He thinks that by being on Hiashi's good side that will keep his children from harm and will give them a good future. But don't worry his priorities are getting there slowly but surely. Soon we'll learn about what happened to Hinata *evil laugh*.

Revised: 12/13/18