Hey hey! Apologies for the delay, I was moving states. Enjoy this small chapter as I work on the other one!

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Uchiha Sasuke

The quiet teacher waited at the open door of the nurse's office as his student was being looked over by Haruno Sakura. The sharp green eyes looked over the already forming bruise on the teen's shoulder where he had been punched apparently, not shoved. Still did the effect of him falling down the stairs to twist his ankle. Sakura didn't speak while she looked over Boruto, didn't even so much as glance at Sasuke when he brought the kid in. Thank god she didn't, he did not need her hopeful looks and worried glances right now. Already enough of that coming from him.

Sasuke couldn't help but just see the kid as nothing but as his father. So much of Naruto is present in Boruto from the way he smiled right down to the hair color. There are small differences such as his eyes being just a little bit bluer and that he had to be seen as "cool", whereas Naruto has much darker blue eyes and he never once cared what people thought of him. Well… he didn't at one point. Wonder what he looks like nowadays… Is he strong? Old looking? He is a detective much like his dad was, maybe he has gray hairs from stress? No, Naruto isn't that much older than me, he would still be good-looking. Then again that is a high-stress job… I remember the days his dad would come home from work and look so worn and dead inside that he barely looked like Naruto's father, let alone a person.

Sasuke's thoughts about Naruto had formed ten times the normal amount since meeting Boruto. Normally he would think of Naruto, think of how much time had passed. Maybe he should reach out? Talk to him, see if something has changed? Sasuke would ponder this for days before he worked up enough courage to send him a Facebook message. Only to click on his profile picture of him and his family. That would have Sasuke stopping, and staring at those happy smiles of his little family. He would sit there for who knows how long seeing it, wishing it was him beside Naruto making him smile… and then feel guilty for the selfish thought before he would close out of it entirely. How long had he done this little "ritual" as Sai had put it one day when Sasuke told him? Long enough to still keep doing it. Only seeing his son brought up much more memories, much more pain he wasn't ready to deal with. Sasuke shoved those feelings away a long time ago. He is a grown adult and a teacher to the next generation. He couldn't be acting like this just because of unresolved issues within himself. No, after the son was cleared by Sakura he would shove it down deeper and lock it away. There is no point in trying to deal with this mess when it would bring him nowhere. It wouldn't take him back to the past. It wouldn't take him to Naruto's arms. It wouldn't do a damn thing and honestly, Sasuke was okay with that. He was fine being alone for the rest of his life. He learned it was better to be alone because he only needed to rely on himself. Not rely on someone or have them rely on him. This was- is better for him and he came to terms with that a long time ago.

Liar… and you know it… a small voice that sounded all too much like his older brother rang in the back of his mind.

A small sound of something rattling snapped Sasuke from his thoughts. Thankfully it had because who knows where Itachi's thoughts would lead him next to other than false hope and a breakdown. Sasuke realized the noise that saved him from his mind was an ice pack Sakura was handing over to Boruto for his ankle. She gave him the sweetest smile as he took it from her, hands now folded in her lap.

"Take Ibuprofen for the pain. You'll need to rest your ankle for a while, keep it elevated while you sit or lay down. Ice on for fifteen minutes and then off for twenty minutes. Do that until the swelling goes down. Slow deep breaths so you don't pass out from the hit. Other than that, I believe you're good to go." Sakura said with a sweet tone.

Boruto shrugged at Sakura with a smile, slowly standing up. "Thanks, should be good to go back to class," Boruto said quickly, only Sasuke spoke to stop him from darting off.

"No, Principal Hatake will want to speak to you about the fight. Get your side of things and call your parents." Sasuke explained, waving him out the door. The nurse's office was connected with the administrative office so he wouldn't need to go far.

However, the mention of calling his parents had blonde brows up and eyes wide almost as if he was about to be hit again. "Uhhh," he tried to smile but it was weak and obvious. "No need for that. Mom is out on a medical mission so he wouldn't be able to reach her really and Dad is… well Dad is at work and I don't want to disturb him. Besides, not much happened and I'm okay, so thanks but it's cool ya know?" Boruto cleared his throat and shrugged again but Sasuke wasn't falling for his "cool boy" act.

"As honorable as it is not to worry your parents, it is school policy they are informed of their child should something happen. You can wait outside the office, rest your leg as you've been instructed." Sasuke ended the conversation with a hand gesture meaning for Boruto to do as told. Boruto had seen he would not sway what would happen and it had Sasuke curious as to why he didn't want his parents aware of what happened. Probably out of embarrassment. Boruto went out and sat at the line of hairs outside of Kakashi's office down the hall without a sound.

Sasuke made sure he was staying put before sighing and closing his eyes. He could feel those green eyes boring in the back of his mind trying to read his thoughts. Sasuke made one swift movement of stepping back into her office and shutting the door and turned on his heel. Crossing his arms, he leaned back against the wooden door and looked at her blankly. Just as he knew it would happen, there in her eyes was hope and concern all laced in one. Sakura, bless her, is one of the few people who knew what happened to Sasuke and Naruto when they were teens. She and Sai both were there for him and he appreciated their words of comfort and encouragement.

However, where Sai had learned not to speak about Naruto unless he brought it up she did not. Sakura always talked about how he should just message Naruto, talk to him and see if they could mend things. There lies in his "ritual" source but the bottom line was there is no mending them. There is no point in going back to relive that pain when it will lead to nothing but an empty hole. Naruto hurt him, bad, why would he go back to that?

"What?" Sasuke said as empty as possible.

Sakura fidgeted under his empty stare, debating on saying something. The subtle narrow of black eyes had her biting her bottom lip before she spoke. "He looks so much like Naruto…" she trailed off for a moment and Sasuke thought that was that. Only for her to pick up on her thoughts again. "He's going to be called in to discuss what happened, and you two haven't seen one another in fifteen years. Oh- and maybe after, you two can talk!" She beamed.

Her over-excitement had Sasuke inhaling sharply and standing up straighter. "There will be no 'us talking' because I do not plan on seeing him while he comes to get his son, Sakura." he bit out a little hard but she always pushed and pushed the idea of them talking. It was tiring and how did she not see that it was already beyond him.

Sakura went to say something else but he had already opened the door and stomped out of the office with a grumble. Sasuke didn't plan on talking to Naruto, nor did he wish to even see the man after fifteen years… no matter how much his heart twisted to do just that.

Sasuke kept a frown in place as he left her office. Why did she have to do that? Talk about as if everything she said was possible? As if he could manage to even look at Naruto, let alone talk to him… Shaking his head, he let the idea go. He couldn't do it, just asking for trouble. Sasuke looked up in time to spot the going blonde sitting in a chair outside Kakashi's office. Assuming it would be handled from there on, he moved on back to his class. He already missed teaching most of the class, not that he had anything to worry about considering his students were well behaved. Still, he had a job to do and no blonde was going to stop him from doing so.

Uzumaki Naruto

Phones were ringing in the brick building. Desks crammed together in pairs as officers and detectives worked through the early afternoon. It appeared that everyone had caught a case today, or still working on some older ones. Honestly, Naruto wasn't paying much attention as he leaned back in his work chair, phone to his ear. The chair squeaked it was so old, worn from years of use, while there was a permanent butt imprint in the cushion. Naruto sighed and cranes his neck back over the back of the chair, the person on the other end of the phone not giving good news. Deep blue eyes stared up at the ceiling, not seeing the metal fan blades spin lazily. Instead, he only could picture the face of the voice he had to listen to explain why he couldn't get ahold of his ex-wife, once again.

As the person rambled on, Naruto closed his eyes while his brows formed a frustrated knit in the center. "Yeah, look just have her call me back." He cut the person off, slowly rising back to a sitting position. "Okay? Yeah on my cellphone. Thank you-" he raised a brow when the next question was asked. "No, she doesn't need my cellphone number. She shouldn't at least..." Naruto pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "Yeah actually write it down, just in case. Ready? Okay, it's..."

After giving his phone number out, he hung up and groaned. Arms folded over the stack of papers on his metal desk, his face proceeding to be buried in the hole his arms made. Shikamaru looked up from reading over the report of their case. Truthfully he had been glancing at Naruto during the entire phone call, listening to what his partner had to say. He looked back to the paper report, pretending to be reading what he had already read.

"Ex-wife forgot your number? That's just harsh," he commented, seeing the blonde head raise from his arms out of the corner of his eye.

Sighing, the blonde rested his chin on top of his forearm. "She got a new phone, a new number too, and failed to mention this. I gave it just in case she wants to 'pretend' she forgot to put it in." Naruto grumbled. "I have to tell her about the adventure our son almost had last night," he rolled his eyes while he straightened up. Picking up the same report Shikamaru had been reading over and over for the past five minutes, he leaned back with the file in hand and opened.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto with a curious look. "Oh, what now?" He asked.

Naruto sighed, barely getting past the first sentence in the opening report. "I come home to find him fully dressed and standing outside when he should already be in bed. I asked him what was up and asks me if he can go hang out with his best friend and some other kids for one last 'hooray'.The kid has been glued to Orochimaru's son all summer but hey, I'm trying to be understanding. He needs friends and well... I didn't want him seeing me as the enemy over little things. The kid also pulled out the greatest card ever. He told me basically I was a teen once and did stupid fun things with my friends before school. He really got to me with that one," he shook his head.

Shikamaru awaited for the adventure part to come in, not really saying anything but instead listening to his friend.

Naruto knew Shika was listening to him, so he wasn't pausing for his reaction yet. More like trying to get the words right. When he did, he continued with the story. "I get to the door and a car full of teens older than him pulls up, going on about some party." Naruto finished with a shake of his head. "I mean seriously, I know we started that tradition and I regret it now because of all the booze that is there. I get it, Shika I do. He wants to be cool, and a part of the biggest end-of-summer party there is, but I caught him trying to lie about it. Boruto lied because he knew I wouldn't let him, not at ten at night and certainly not with other kids trying to be dumb. I just can't stop thinking about that case we caught. The accident involving the jump?" Naruto looked at Shikamaru, who nodded in remembering the case. Naruto nodded back and fell silent. He was done venting, for now, wanting to hear from his partner.

Shikamaru took this sign to speak. He sighed, setting the file down. Shikamaru was probably one of the few people who were on Naruto's side. Throughout the years, after the breakup with Sasuke, many were either on Hinata's side or Sasuke's. Now granted, Shikamaru agrees that what Naruto said to end it completely between the two was not the best course of action. But he also understood that Naruto was not only an expecting father but had lost his mother only a month before that. That Naruto was trying to do what he thought was best for his soon-to-be son, and he couldn't have agreed more.

Marrying Hinata had been joyful for the first four years. He saw the complete love in Naruto for Hinata and his son, but Hinata's family had very serious doubts about Naruto. They didn't agree that he was going to the academy to become a detective like his father, nor did they like the fact that Hinata had gotten "knocked up" in her last year of high school. They just never approved of the marriage or how their first grandchild came to be. They always belittled Naruto for what he had done and never gave him the chance to explain or show how much he was willing to give up for her and his kids. Hinata never really spoke out against them either, always did what they said when it came to her career, and even told her that she needed to divorce Naruto. Hinata never agreed to that until somehow Naruto's sexuality came to their attention. That he had been with a man before he had been with Hinata set them off. it caused a massive tear not only between Naruto and Hinata but her and her family.

Shikamaru wasn't sure what happened truth be told. One month Naruto was going on that her family found out about him and then the next, he was fully divorced working on custody of his kids. Shikamaru wasn't one to get into drama, but this was his best friend. He wanted to know what happened entirely but Naruto would just shrug and say it had been handled and that maybe it was meant to be like that. Shikamaru called bullshit but he didn't press. Three years was a long time to wait, but if and when Naruto told him what happened then he would tell him.

"Boruto is just acting out because of the divorce," he started. "Boruto sees you as the villain in all of this and I think it's time to sit him down and talk to him about this. You can't just keep fighting with your kid. I can see how exhausted you are mentally from all of this." he pointed out.

Naruto sighed. "Yeah, I know. I just... what made it worse was before I knew what was going on, he hugged me. The kid hasn't hugged me in so long like he did last night. I thought that maybe he was coming around finally, that maybe we could work on that wall between us." Naruto looked down and Shikamaru could see the broken look he was trying to hide. Shikamaru knew that hug did more damage than the lying ever could have. Honestly, Naruto needed to sit down with his son and explain what happened between him and Naruto. It was tough and tense right now but he knew Naruto would figure it out.

"Hey, he's just a kid. More specifically he is your kid. Fifteen years old, everything seems to revolve around him. He's upset about the divorce because he refuses to understand right now. It's gonna be okay, Naruto. You are raising your children better than what anyone thought you would. There is so much that could've happened or that you could've done differently, but we are humans, not machines. You made it work for thirteen years between you and Hinata despite what her family did and said. Life isn't perfect,"

Naruto had to blink. Shikamaru didn't say much in terms of feelings so this was a surprise. A much-needed slap back to reality and very much appreciated. Naruto knew what he said was true, and that they weren't perfect machines. He and Boruto would figure it out eventually, he just needed to focus on the now and not the future.

"Thanks," Naruto gave a half-smile, going back to the report.

Shikamaru shrugged, picking up his file and turning to the next page finally. "Don't mention it,"

Naruto took those words to heart. Yes, he made mistakes, two very big ones in his early years that led him to where he is now. Not once does Naruto blame his kids or his ex-wife for anything? They weren't the mistakes and never would he make them feel as such. Life happened and it will always happen no matter what he chose to do. He is doing the best with his son and daughter, and he would continue to do so.

End

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Alright, a small chapter here but I will be posting the next one soon. Apologies for the sudden silence, had to move away. Enjoy everyone! Note: Edited 3-11-22