Author Note:

My head is empty. Sigh... Despite that I managed to finish this chapter, well...sort of. Let me know what you guys think.

Declaimer: All characters in Naruto and Boruto series belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Ukyo Kodachi respectively.

This chapter is not beta'd.

Enjoy!

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Naruto blinked his eyes as he aware that he just woke up from his one of series of naps, for once no one was present in his room. Usually there would be either his family, Sakura or even some nurses every time he woke up. He blinked again before he slowly sat up on the bed, gritted his teeth in pain as his body protested the movement. The pain has been significantly lessened thanks to medications, but he still can't mould his chakra without doubling in pain. It been five days since he was admitted that night, guess his body needs more time than a few days to recover.

After he accidentally snapped at Hinata that day, he felt guilty, knowing that he has hurt her again. He knew he didn't deserve her help, but to refuse her would just hurt her even more, he knew her well enough so he decided to be a good patient, quietly allowed her to do whatever she wants to help him and followed all Sakura's instructions to the dot.

He knew Sakura was suspicious that something was wrong with him, he was known to hate the hospital stay in passion and yet he never said a word about being discharged early or whining about being poked and prodded during his hospital stay. Well, even if she was, he didn't really care.

He been thinking about everything that happened, about his son's resentment towards him, his daughter's disappointed face, his wife's solemn face when he stayed at the office for too many nights. It was easy forgot those when you were busy with towers of paperwork and meetings, but for once he got too much free time in his hands as he was stuck in the hospital.

To be honest, he was tired, tired of hurting people he loved, tired of wasting time dealing with his injury instead of helping his village after such attack, tired with everything that he messed up, it was overwhelmed that he wished he can go away from this village, from everything. No paperwork, no meetings, nothing. Alone in a nice seclude place without anyone to bother him. Maybe with Hinata. Just the two of them. How many times he just want to abandon those paperwork and late-night meetings, and go home to be with his wife.

But... He couldn't do that. He was the Hokage, he has responsibilities on his shoulders, people who looked up to him for the safety of their lives. But he also a husband to his wife and a father to his children.

Naruto sighed as he leaned into his pillow behind his back, before he turned to look outside the window. The sun was setting down, and somehow he suddenly felt the familiar feeling that he nearly forgotten ever since he got married. Hinata cured his loneliness, and he repaid her with the same feeling. He wondered if he didn't accept the position when Kakashi Sensei told him about his innuguration ceremony before, would he still failed his family like he did now?

Naruto shook his head as he dismissed that particular thought. He knew that his job wasn't the fault despite his son repeatedly argue about it, it was all his fault. He tried his best, but it was not good enough. He knew he was stressed, this painful feeling that been haunted him for weeks ever since he overheard Boruto's angry exclamation. His son wasn't blame him just for the cake, but for everything. But he didn't say anything to anyone about that painful feeling that he felt, buried himself in his work. What he felt wasn't important, the security of the village was at risk, his family was in danger, it didn't matter how they hated him for his failures. So he just do like he always did, suck it up and move forward.

In that other dimension, he was confused when his son told him to keep things just as they were, a bit scared when his son wanted to hear his past, since his past has nothing interesting to be told. But, it was the first time his son looked at him without hatred, he felt happy and didn't care about anything else. They quickly joined the battle and managed to defeat that Momoshiki guy, proud bursted in his chest as he saw Boruto used Rasengan. After they returned, he immediately sent his family to Hyuga Compound to recuperate, especially when he heard Hinata was injured.

Though, when he returned to work as soon as he sent his family over, the painful feeling returned. He saw Hinata's injury, he saw the destruction caused by the attack, he saw the list of names that he couldn't save. He was the Hokage, he was supposed to protect everyone, and yet he let his village, his family down. So he worked day and night to make sure everything was okay, it was the least he could do. And now, he was stuck in the hospital, burdening Shikamaru and everyone else with his work.

Speaking of Shikamaru...

Naruto sighed as he remembered his work at the office. He wasn't allow to do his work while he was hospitalized, including the paperwork so Shikamaru been taking care of everything, but maybe Sakura would let him hear the reports at the very least. As the Hokage, he was still has the responsibility to know what happened in his village.

Naruto pushed the call button beside his bed, and a few minutes later a nurse knocked his door and entered with a bow.

"I am sorry for the wait, Nanadaime-sama. How may I be of assistance?"

"Ah, can you call Sakura for me?"

The nurse bowed again, "I am sorry Nanadaime-sama, but Uchiha-sama is currently in the main building and will not be available until tonight. She is scheduled to be here tomorrow morning."

"Ah, is that so..."

The nurse looked guilty as she continued, "B-but I can rely the message that you want to meet her if you wish, she should have some free time in an hour or so..."

Naruto looked at the nurse who looks tired, and he probably just bothered her. Sakura probably tired as well, since she was in charge of his stay at the hospital. It was selfish of him to ask for her when she was busy. "It's fine, don't worry about it. I am sorry for taking your time."

The nurse was hesitated to leave as she continued to look at him, "Are you sure? I am sure Uchiha-sama wouldn't mind, and she did instruct me to call her should anything happens. I can go search for her-"

"No, it's fine. I will see her tomorrow morning. Thank you for your hard work."

The nurse blinked at his firm tone of voice before she nodded and bowed again, "I will leave you to your rest then. Pardon my intrusion."

The door closed he was once again alone. The bedridden Hokage sighed as he closed his eyes. His short conversation with the nurse earlier made him felt tired for some reason, not to mention his head began to throb again. Naruto looked at a glass of water on a small table beside his bed, his throat felt a little dry. He reached for it before an immense pain assaulted his body, especially his stomach. The glass shattered on the floor, spilling the water everywhere as he fell. The Hokage was unconscious before his limp body hit the floor.

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Boruto panted as he laid on the ground before he raised up his bandaged arm, flexing it a bit with a smile as he didn't feel any pain. He sparred with Sarada earlier despite the protest from her, and it felt really good!

It's been a while since he got a good workout, not to mention the stress he felt when his father being hospitalized. He took a long breath as his breathing slowly turned normal, he blinked a little as Sarada entered his sight, her eyebrows frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

Boruto stretched his arms above his head before he sat on the ground, Sarada went to sit next to him, throwing him a bottle of water before opened her own bottle and took a long gulp.

"Why you suddenly asked me for a spar? Did my Mom even allowed you to spar?" Sarada looked at the bandaged arm. Boruto grinned as he waved his arm around, "It's fine, it doesn't even hurt! I will have another checkup tomorrow, but Aunt Sakura did say I can do some light training."

Sarada sighed, "Sparring is not a light training!"

"It's fine 'ttebasa! I know my own body. I don't realize that you care..."

"Shut up!"

The young Uchiha glared as the blond genin just chuckled.

"Anyway, how's Nanadaime doing? I heard from Mom that he is in the hospital, but that's it. The press seems not getting any information too."

Boruto's chuckles died before he went silent, his head down a little as he looked on the ground.

"That bad?"

"Nah, he is fine. He still get tired easily, and his arm still not really well..."

"But?"

"Huh?" Boruto looked up and blinked in confusion, "But what?"

Sarada looked at Boruto with her arms crossed her chest, "I know something is bothering you, you got that pathetic look on your face."

Boruto threw his water bottle which she caught one-handed easily. "Shut up."

"So? What is it? You still angry about Nanadaime's work as Hokage? Throwing tantrums? You lied about something else? Cheating again?"

"What? No! Why do you think like that? Sheesh, I know I am wrong, okay? How many times you want me to apologize?! No need to bring that up again 'ttebasa..."

Boruto grumbled as Sarada chuckled, before he sighed, "It's just... Dad is acting weird lately."

Sarada blinked as Boruto crossed his legs in the ground, picking the grass absently as he continued, "He been eating less, he doesn't speak much and he just staring into space sometimes."

"Maybe because he is not feeling well. He is currently in the hospital you know. It's normal."

"I overheard your mom said to my mom that Dad been like that even before the Chunin Exam." Boruto looked at the small pile of grass that he been pulled off next to a bald spot on the ground, "I think I am the reason he fell sick."

"What?"

Boruto huffed as he turned to face the confused Sarada, "I meant- it makes sense! I been a brat the whole time, argued with him, defied his orders and I cheated! Even when he tried to-"

The young Uzumaki abruptly stopped in his sentence as he swallowed in hesitation before he continued in low voice, "I know I was wrong, I know that now... But what I did stressed him out and he got sick. He got sick because of me."

"Boruto..."

Sarada sighed. As much as idiot he was, he looks like he really regretted. Well, he did apologize...

"Well, I heard that you already made up with Nanadaime, right? In that other dimension?"

"Well, yeah I guess..."

Sarada rise an eyebrow, "You guess? Did you even apologize to Nanadaime? You know, for being a brat the whole time..."

Boruto glared at Sarada before he huffed, "I did ask him to tell story about his past instead of lecturing me next time..."

"Boruto..." A tick mark appeared on Sarada's forehead as she smacked him on the head, "You idiot!"

"Ouch! Hey, I am still injured! What's that for?!"

Boruto scrambled away from the fuming Sarada, nursing his aching head.

"For being an idiot! Seriously, how hard for you to apologize to your father?!"

"Hey! I did...uh..."

Boruto blinked, did he ever apologize to his father? He didn't, did he? Oh.

"I can deduce based on that idiotic expression on your face that you didn't apologize. Sigh... Seriously, for someone who self-proclaimed to be a prodigy, you really an idiot, aren't you?"

"Heh, men don't need to apologize! We speak through our fists!"

"You want me to speak to you through my fist too?"

"Mom? Why you are here?"

Sakura smiled at her daughter as she walked out of her hiding behind a tree.

"I heard some noises at the empty field near the hospital ground, so I went to check and found one of my patients went against my medical advice." Sakura chuckled at the paled Boruto. "Sparring, huh? You are fortunate that the spar already over when I came or I would join you too. Perhaps after that you would understand that my medical advice aren't for you to oppose."

Boruto gulped as he remembered Aunt Sakura's famius monstrous strength, she was well-known to be the one who fought along with Nanadaime in the previous war and her feat to defeat a large troop of enemies with a single punch. I would die if I against someone like that!

"He said it's okay. He practically bugged me until I said yes, so I don't have a choice actually."

Boruto looked at Sarada in horror as she just threw him under the bus. "Hey!"

Sakura sighed as she sat on the grass, "Like father like son. Come here, let me check. Hopefully you didn't do anymore damage to that arm. I told you only light trainings are allowed. Sparring isn't one of them."

"Told you so."

"Shut up."

Boruto nervously went to sit in front of the medic, holding his bandaged arm towards her in hesitation. "It's fine, I swear 'ttebasa! It don't even hurt!"

"Yeah right. Tell that to Naruto when he almost lost his arm before...well, I guess he technically did now."

"Nanadaime almost lost his arm before?" Sarada looked at her mother in interested, she can't help but wanting to know more about her idol.

Sakura did a few hand signs before a familiar green chakra coated her hands and she ran them over Boruto's bandaged arm. Boruto let a small hiss as Sakura healed a cracked bone she found and a few bruises underneath the bandages.

"Yeah. He used to test his own techniques, and of course he did in the real battle against a powerful enemy. He almost lost his arm in that battle and being hospitalized for a while, though it's not a surprise since he was testing his own S-rank ninjutsu."

"Wait, Dad created his own jutsu?!"

"Nanadaime created an S-rank ninjutsu?!"

Both genins looked at Sakura in surprise.

"Well, technically he just refined the Rasengan and increased the destructive power with Natural chakra, but yeah, he did that. I thought you knew about this. Naruto didn't tell you?"

"No..."

"Huh, never thought he wouldn't tell you about it. He liked to brag about his skills in the past." Sakura looked at Boruto who just looked down. She dispelled her jutsu before patted his shoulder. "Good news is that no further damage to the nerves, and the injury is healed well. Still, you need to take it easy for a while. No sparring until I say so, okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks Aunt Sakura. Sorry about that."

Sakura smiled, watching Boruto solemn face before she turned to Sarada, "Sarada, why don't you go buy yourself a drink? There is a vending machine just at the front, and my break is almost over, so please tell the nurses at the receptionist that I will be back in a few minutes."

Sarada blinked at her mother, quickly noticed the underlying message. "Huh? Um, sure."

Sakura watched Sarada jogged away before she turned to Boruto.

"I heard about what you said to Sarada. I didn't realize what you overheard made you think like that."

"You knew I overheard you and Mom?"

"Of course. You are terrible at feigning sleep. I have share of experiences with children who tried to avoid medication at pediatric wards, you know."

"Oh."

Silence engulfed them both for a moment before Sakura spoke, "It's not your fault that Naruto being hospitalized."

"But it makes sense 'ttebasa! I being a brat, I yelled at him even when he tried to help me... I cheated, I disappointed him..." Boruto put his knees together and put his arms around them with a sigh.

"I don't know why he put up with a son like me..."

"Because he loves you, that's why."

"Huh?"

Sakura smiled. "Naruto loves you, as much as he loves the village. I can tell you that much. He works hard to protect everyone including you, Boruto."

"Dad said the same thing... About protecting everyone... He meant it."

"Of course he does. Naruto never go back on his words. It's his ninja way."

"His ninja way..."

A hand gently patted his head as he looked up to see Sakura smiled at him. "Come on, let's go see Naruto. Hinata said she would run a bit late today, you should keep your father company while waiting for her. I am sure he would love that."

"Yeah, okay."

They walked together into a building where Naruto's room was located before they were greeted by a nurse in the hallway. "Ah, Uchiha-sama! I was looking for you."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"It's Nanadaime-sama, he was asking for you "

"Naruto did?" Sakura glanced at Boruto who looked at her worriedly. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't know, but when I said that you wouldn't be available until tomorrow, he looks sad. I offered him to look for you, but he refused."

"How he was doing when he asked for me? Was he in pain?"

"I don't think so, he looked mostly tired."

"I understand, thank you for your hard work. I will go see him now."

"Ah, I am sorry Uchiha-sama, but I need you to look at a few documents first, they are the documents that need your signature for patient records."

Sakura nodded before she turned to Boruto, "Why don't you go first? Oh, if Naruto still asking for me, just tell him that I will come by after I am done with documents."

"Okay."

Boruto watched Sakura followed the nurse before he turned to the opposite direction towards his father's room. He opened the door only to see Naruto laid unconscious on the floor with spilled water and shattered glass around his limp body.

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How is it? Good? Drop a review, will you? Much appreciated!