Chapter 27: Rightful

"For love is no part of the dreamworld. Love belongs to Desire, and Desire is always cruel."

― Neil Gaiman, The Doll's House


Naruto & Hinata

"One week is good enough." Toneri decides.

A silence weighs across the room like a heavy curtain; a layer of fog, unceasing and deep. The guards at the ends of the garden step forward when Hanabi catches one of their eyes, byakugan's activating.

"I'll give you until next week around this same time to bring Hinata here or I'll go after her myself." He continues.

"Bastard!" Naruto curses under his breath, tightening his fists. Hinata gripping at his arm is the only thing stopping him from breaking in there and knocking him out.

'Not yet, we need to know how much he knows.' Hinata communicates silently when he glances towards her, fingers digging at feeling a wave of heat encompass Naruto's form, teeth elongating in outrage.

Hiashi's glare turns venomous, Neji at his feet in an instant, fingers poised for Toneri's throat.

"You don't get a say in what we do." He remarks sharply.

Toneri merely smiles pleasantly, looking past him to Hanabi who looks equally ready tear into his pompous grin.

He snaps his fingers and a pair of puppets appear in a flash beside him, ready to strike at his command. The first of the duo strikes Neji in the gut in a blur, Hanabi gasping running to aid him only for Neji to hold up his hand to stop her.

"Tsk. Tsk. I expect better hospitality the next time I'm here." Toneri warns them all, voice fading with the wind as they disappear in a swirl of leaves.

Hanabi is the first to speak, knuckles a hot red in rage. "That man is full of shit if he thinks we'll just let him run us over like this!"

"Language Hanabi! We're not letting him or any of his puppet subjects get to Hinata!" Hiashi reprimands her, getting her to settle down. The words do little to soothe her, clicking her tongue peering away towards the garden pond in frustration.

Neji collects himself, focusing towards the door at sensing Naruto and Hinata's presence.

And Naruto chooses that moment to push the door open, fully take in the grimness of this scene. Toneri's coming here was a message, that he's stronger than he looks. He's left a clatter of shattered plant pots near the wood steps of the patio, yellow and white petals of the hydrangeas and carnations trampled with mud and grass.

"I assume you're both caught up to speed, right?" Neji asks, Naruto nodding, squeezing at Hinata's hand as the step forward together.

Hanabi sighs in relief calming down some seeing Hinata, pats at the open spaces beside her.

"Good! You can help us brainstorm then before one his creepy puppets comes back." She voices.

"First we need to go over what we already know." Neji adds in.

"We know enough! He's crazy and isn't going to stop until he kidnaps me or worse, Hinata! He's probably planted his puppets all over the village now to spy on us for the next week!" Hanabi volleys back.

Hiashi raises a hand before they can go into a cacophony of voices speaking over each other, gesturing for Naruto to speak. His future self had told him that Toneri had appeared in Konoha for the same reasons as he did now, seeking Hinata to become his wife and potentially to destroy Earth according to Hamura's will.

"How did your older counterparts stop him?" Hiashi questions.

Hinata responds, looking over to him. "We didn't get the full details unfortunately Father, but it involved destroying some type of energy vessel that can only be touched by those with Hamura Otsutsuki's ancestry."

Hiashi clenches his teeth in thought. 'So only someone from our clan then?'

"It doesn't have to go as far as things did in that timeline though. For one, we already know what his plans are regarding the moon though it's highly possible they've changed now with the ripples we created." Naruto mentions.

"Without Hanabi's eyes, he won't be able to use the Tenseigan. We'll need to make him believe that things are working in his favor." Hinata voices.

She shifts uncomfortably eyeing Naruto's switch in expression, the brewing of something cold and malicious.

"He doesn't seem to know Hinata is engaged." Neji points out.

"On top of that, he can't be aware we know of his abilities." Naruto agrees.

Hiashi moves to stand to take a walk feeling his good leg starting to go numb. He'll letting the younger generation mull this over. As much as he dislikes it, his body is no longer at the same strength or speed to take on an enemy like Toneri.

He heads for blue-green waters of the koi pond, watches the silver and orange scales of the fish shimmer in afternoon light gathering close to the edge in a flurry for his food pellets.

"Alright, Alright. No need to worry, you get fed at the same time everyday." Hiashi mumbles with a small grin.

He recalls the days when Hinata and Hanabi trailed after him in the garden eager to show their maturity in skill/behavior outside the training hall in whichever way the could. They'd often pick at pink and purple wildflowers staining their hands that the attendants would need to wash over and over to and over-feeding the koi until they became sick and overweight...

'Where does the time go?' He muses looking up hearing his daughters go back and forth on how to get Toneri's attention in a safe enough way to not harm any civilians.

His gaze lingers on Hinata, the way she leans into Naruto's shoulder, studies the way his fingertips brush along her stomach protectively.

'Is she...?'

He doesn't let himself finish the thought, circling back around the pond with an extra jolt in his step.

He claps his hands together that a half hour has already passed, gaining everyone's attention.

"Let us move on to a brighter subject. What brings you two by the compound besides for just Toneri?" Hiashi asks Naruto and Hinata point blank.

Naruto's voice goes tight as 3 sets of eyes abrupt peer upon him, straightening his posture. Hanabi smirks, already long since learned the news they have to share.

'This is it! Hopefully Father doesn't freak out!' She grins encouragingly at Hinata.

Hinata catches her gaze, offers a thin smile back.

"...It's well, Hinata is-" Naruto begins.

Hinata squeezes their hands together, nodding at him as pearl meets blue.

"Pregnant." They say in unison.

Neji blinks and Hanabi squeals.

She shakes at his shoulder at his silence, cheeks flushing in delight.

"Did you hear that?! We're going to be an Uncle and Aunt! Aren't you excited?!" Hanabi questions eagerly.

Neji shrugs off Hanabi's hand, smiles gently.

"I'm happy for the news of course; I'm sure the elders and Uncle are too." He supplies.

Hiashi nods slowly, let's the news sink in.

Grandfather. It's a title he thought he would have a year or two to wait on.

Clearly not.

"You truly are that Toad Sage's Godson. For now, this is news that stays between us all. I'm sure you two don't want to hear a sex talk or scolding/teaching from the Elders regarding this." Hiashi remarks.

Naruto hurriedly nods, wrinkling just slightly feeling his face warm. There's hundreds of things he could say should that situation arise, but it's better that the older folks of the clan simply believe he and Hinata have been innocent and pure.

Hiashi clears his throat, expression turning serious.

"So tell me, what plan have you all decided on?"

Naruto grins, smiling fully for the first time since he and Hinata entered the manor.

"We're going to set a trap."


Sasuke & Sakura

"Pick your poison."

Sakura pushes the collection of herbs and vials forward, hums thoughtfully as she picks up a tonic the color of amber before setting it down to hold up a bottle that shines a bright bluish-gray in the overhead lights.

Sasuke looks away, studies instead the curling vines and fauna on the opposite wall.

This whole room makes him queasy, reminds him painfully of death and loss, but he refuses to say so.

They've spent more than half the afternoon here, sky slowly turning towards a deep violet, stillness in the air as thunderstorms rumble in the distance.

'It's fine. I need to help Naruto if he's about to do something stupid. Then Sakura and I can talk him out of it if need be.' Sasuke knows.

Sakura is lucky to get this private lab, though it seems she hardly comes here from the light coatings of dust on the oakwood furniture to silver webs in the corners by the windows.

"I have stronger vials for paralysis and hemorrhaging in the back if you want me to get them." Sakura mentions as Naruto and Hinata peruse her compilation of herbs and liquids.

Sasuke arches a brow beside her, at how casual this whole conversation is going, trying to stay focused.

He should've just stayed back at home, but Naruto's insistence (demanding) that Sakura provide some type of toxin for whatever plan he and Hinata have come up with has put gardening on the back burner for now.

'Never thought I would rather be gardening than helping plan a potential murder.' He muses, revenge feels like a distant memory.

"We don't want to kill him, that's a last resort you know! The plan right now is to lure him with like a sweet scent into a pitfall trap." Naruto frowns.

"What? This is the same guy your future self said almost drove the moon into us! He certainly needs something stronger than the average toxin and a better plan than just a rock trap he could see coming!" Sakura argues.

"All the changes we made could make it so that the moon falling towards us is no longer his goal." Hinata brings up.

She grabs Naruto's hand before he can knock over a jar of some crushed white powder. They've both been trying not to touch any of the more colorful beakers and jars surrounding them, taking in a bundle of flora and leaves known to cause heart palpitations and GI upset even in the smallest of dosages.

'This truly is Sakura's personal apothecary.' Hinata realizes in awe, Sakura shrugging at their points silently.

"Well then how do you plan to get rid of him then moron? Talking him down isn't going to work." Sasuke asks dryly just to add to the discussion. None of this matters if Naruto isn't going to take Toneri out in a way that will prevent him from ever again harming Hinata or anyone else for that matter.

Naruto blanches, sending Sasuke a glare.

"You're one to talk ya bastard! You don't even know how to plant tomatoes without Sakura's help!"

"That has nothing to do with the topic at hand. Besides, I know how to kill when need be, that matters more as a shinobi." Sasuke retorts.

"If I or Hinata kill him we won't learn what information he could have on us or if he's already initiated some type of bomb or destruction plan. By the way, I know how to be romantic and actually talk to my fiancée/girlfriend unlike some people here! Oh, not that that has anything to do with this topic at hand!" Naruto mocks him right back.

Hinata gives him a look, jabbing at his cheek non too gently.

"Naruto, we came here to get their help; not tease them!" She scolds gently.

He squirms, nodding before leaning close to her to whisper in her ear urgently.

"Yeah, but when are we going to get a chance to embarrass Sasuke again, you know?!" Naruto questions.

Hinata huffs, biting back a giggle at his smirk.

"Is this worth ruining our chances for getting help?" She asks slowly.

"Yes!" Naruto instantly replies.

Sasuke meanwhile bristles at the two blatantly talking about him while he's still here in the room.

"I talk to Sakura."

Naruto rolls his eyes as he looks back at him, amused. "Yeah? Do you know her deepest secrets? What makes her blush or moan?"

Sakura instantly reddens, slamming a fist down to the table making everyone jump.

"Enough!" She hisses.

She slams her case of vials shut, drums her fingers against the leather top gazing between Naruto and Hinata carefully.

"Alright, we're not helping until you tell us what's going on! The whole truth." Sakura demands with a note of finality.

She leans back in her chair crossing her legs, awaiting an answer.

Naruto pouts, looking to Hinata nervously who shrugs with a sigh.

"Ah, will you promise us you won't tell Ino this news? At least until I feel more comfortable with it reaching the whole village." Hinata requests.

Sakura straightens, anger melting into concern.

"Of course. What's going on though that she can't know about yet?"

She recalls her meeting with Naruto at the Konoha cemetery earlier in the week, how he somewhat evaded her question over her concerns on Hinata's change in eating habits.

Sakura looks Hinata over now, the pink flush to her cheeks, the tired smile...

"Are you...pregnant?" She whispers out

Hinata slowly grins, nodding. "I'm a little over a month along now."

Sasuke pauses, taking in Naruto's now shy look and scoffs.

"You really are an idiot. Didn't that pervert teacher of yours give you lessons on condoms or something?" He asks.

Naruto groans, tussling his hair before setting his head down against the table avoiding everyone's gaze.

It wasn't just him, Hinata was equally ready and willing! Plus, vacations are for putting everything out of mind.

Including responsibilities.

"I don't want to hear that from you! Like that snake bastard gave you teaching on the opposite sex or reproduction!" Naruto grunts in disgust.

Sasuke says nothing to that. He's glad the little time he did spend around Orochimaru didn't involve such discussions.

Not that such a thing was even on his mind at the time.

He glances over to Sakura who studies the pair with a mix of sympathy and maybe envy, jade orbs clouding over in thought.

'A family.' He swallows.

Nobody never told him, but he's sure Naruto and Hinata learned from their time in the future about each of their classmate's families. Who ended up with who and each child they had...

It never bothered him to know really, though as of late it needles at him; a burning itch.

"This is serious then. You need a powerful toxin. Wait here." Sakura decides, standing and heading into the adjacent room.

Sasuke watches her go, feeling the annoying sensation of Naruto's smirk watching him.

Sure enough, cerulean eyes are positively gleaming in amusement and deviousness when he turns his attention back to him.

"You can follow her, you know." Naruto advises, but Sasuke ignores the question, leaning forward instead.

"Tell me about my future." He asks point blank.

Naruto's brows furrow. "You could stand to say please and maybe explain what the hell you mean."

Sasuke grits his teeth, he doesn't have time for his snark right now.

"You saw the future, did you? That means saw your future selves and presumably, interacted with Sakura and I's future counterparts too. Tell me about mine; quickly." He explains in a rush.

Naruto's expression morphs to concern, pursing his lips.

"Why? I thought Sakura wanted to keep all of that a surprise, you know." He states slowly.

Sasuke looks between him and Sakura still searching for the vial.

He has perhaps a minute or two left to get some type of answer out of him or Hinata.

"That was Sakura; not me." Sasuke snaps impatiently.

Hinata's gaze softens, thankfully understanding.

"Sarada. You had or I suppose could have a daughter around our son's age who looks just like you." She remarks.

'Sarada.' He commits the name to memory, tries to picture what she looks like imagining briefly a girl with his dark hair and Sakura's green eyes...

"Found it!" Sakura announces, returning with a miniature clear bottle ending the topic for now.

Naruto peers forward curiously to investigate the jar, Sakura sending him a glare not to touch.

Whatever product that it is, it reminds him of candy, or the bright red and orange ladybugs that visit the Hyuga garden in the spring.

"These are rosary peas. While touching them isn't harmful per say, the poison within them called abrin is." She warns.

Naruto frowns, wincing at what she's suggesting.

"Indigestion I assume isn't the only way we can have this poison reach him, correct? Hinata guesses.

Sakura grins, holds up a thin needle, tip glinting in the waning sunlight.

"There are multiple ways to poison a person. Abrin works fasted when digested, but you can also attack via inhalation or absorption in an open wound. I'll let you two decide which method you think is most appropriate." She determines.

The pair leaves with a nod, Sakura watching them go before looking to Sasuke.

"Do you think they'll use it?" She asks.

Sasuke shrugs, attention on the rise of a crescent moon in the distance, the winking of faint stars observing the rise in Konoha's nightlife.

"Killing is usually never Naruto's first option, but perhaps it will be this time." He relates.

He can still feel Sakura's stare despite that explanation and turns, frowns at the intensity of her look.

"What?" Sasuke frowns, he can't find anything wrong with his statement.

Sakura takes a step towards him, green boring into black.

"You were curious too about the future, don't deny it because I was only in the room next door. However, I didn't catch everything, but I did get a name." She states gently; urgently.

He thought Naruto said Sakura didn't want to know her future, was that idiot lying?

'No, things have changed now between Sakura and I since then.' He considers.

Too much not to wonder all over again what lies ahead for them.

Her fingers curl around his arm, goosebumps prickling up where her fingertips brush.

"Sarada, who is she supposed to be to you? To us?"


Naruto, Tsunade & Jiraiya

"That's a stupid plan Kid, why didn't you come to me or Tsunade first before taking that jar?!" Jiraiya gripes.

Naruto silently glares at him, this is why.

"I didn't come here to be insulted!" He huffs.

Why is Pervy-sage here anyways? He wanted to meet Granny at the little known Café Kayaba tucked away within a shroud of vines and pink bougainvillea. It can only be found by twisting through dark corners and seemingly dead-ends and yet Jiraiya found them, plopped himself down as if he belonged.

Or maybe he's known about this place long before Granny even did.

Tsunade gently shoves at his arm and Jiraiya turns his attention back to his long cooled cup of mint tea.

"He's right. You have no right to talk Jiraiya when girls have gotten you to take strange drinks and foods all for you to just get a peek at their breasts! I trust Sakura knows what she was doing by giving them these seeds!"

Jiraiya holds up his hands defensively.

"Hey now, that was the old me! The new Jiraiya would never do such a thing!"

Naruto hums, taking a risqué photo right out of his vest pocket before he can move back. He recognizes those flashing lights and neon pink feathers.

"Isn't this from when we were at Club Impulse the other night? You actually took pictures with one of the showgirls?" He questions with a withering stare.

Jiraiya snatches the photo back. "It's a moment I'm thinking of adding to the Make Out Paradise movie! You wouldn't understand the writing process!"

Tsunade snorts, passing the container back to Naruto. She has to admit, this plan of theirs is risky, but worth a shot. Rosary peas are most dangerous once consumed, most commonly causing diarrhea, abdominal pain, and in worse cases organ failure.

But that route seems the hardest if they want to incapacitate Toneri.

"Hinata being pregnant should not under any circumstances touch the mixture. She can be the lure, but you'll either need to use a transformation jutsu or something else to keep Toneri in the area. That's the only problem I foresee." She reasons.

Naruto nods, taking out his scratch paper.

"That's what we worried about too. We don't know how to keep Toneri from getting too suspicious or causing a scene you know." He grumbles.

Tsunade nods, sipping at her green tea before pinching at his cheek.

"Ouch, what did I do now?!" Naruto whines.

"So, why is that you're becoming a Dad first before becoming Hokage? You're both so young, this was the one lesson you weren't supposed to listen to from Jiraiya! I wasn't sure to even believe Jiraiya until Sakura brought Hinata by the clinic yesterday!" She scolds him.

Naruto pouts, rubbing at the growing red mark as she lets his face go.

"We're not that young! We'll both be 20 before the year is over after all, you know!" He huffs. Though he considers that not even his parents were this young when they had him, that none of their peers are expecting as far as they know.

"Yeah Tsunade; don't be a stick in the mud! It's not even my fault despite the teachings I've gave Naruto on the opposite sex! This all happened when they were on vacation outside the village a few months back." Jiraiya smiles, cleared from guilt.

Tsunade glares at him from over her cup, of course he just finds this all amusing.

Naruto pokes at her arm. "Hinata and the baby are okay, right?"

Tsunade beams, pleased at his concern. "Yes, I got Hinata started on some prenatal vitamins and anti-nausea medication for the morning sickness. Her blood pressure and hemoglobin were a bit low so I've got her started on additional iron to take to help with that."

Naruto nods in relief, sitting back.

'I'll buy more vegetables for us to keep her strength up. Even if they taste bad, I can eat them for Hinata. All that sodium from ramen isn't good for either of us, but especially not the baby.' He sighs.

Jiraiya watches him silently, this is the same kid who used to use the sexy jutsu just to force his attention to get them to start training...

'Hmm, I wonder if that's something he'll eventually teach his kid?' He ponders.

Such things couldn't just die out with his generation!

"Whatever you're thinking about, stop." Tsunade orders, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

Jiraiya wrinkles his nose, refocusing on the here and now. "You always assume the worse of me!"

He follows her gaze back to Naruto writing and drawing out the makeshift plan.

"Okay, I want to run this through you guys and tell me any parts you think need fixing or can be changed." Naruto reviews.

Jiraiya leans forward expectantly while Tsunade nods for him to go on.

"Hinata will go there first and explain honestly why she can't be with him. The thing is, Toneri probably won't take no for answer and may assume everything is a trap leading into plan idea 1." Naruto starts.

"Which is?" Tsunade pursues.

Naruto points to the crude drawing of crushed rosary peas.

"A tea offering. Hinata could ensure her drink doesn't contain any trace of the poison and they drink to Toneri's belief she'll go with him."

Jiraiya shakes his head. "Too many variables can go wrong. You would have to assume Toneri would believe Hinata would just give up on Naruto and wouldn't find anything strange about a drink offering."

Tsunade agrees, pointing to his drawing of the tea.

"The smell it gives off could be a dead giveaway too that the situation is off. His puppets will most likely be nearby watching the scene too if anything goes wrong."

Naruto sighs. "Well, there has to be some kind of way to get the rosary peas into his system, you know! The other option could be using my shadow clones to hold him down and attack?!"

Jiraiya chortles. 'I thought he wasn't going to try and jump to violence?'

Well, this involves Hinata so such a thing can't be off the table.

"Use our toads. They can spray any type of liquid at him from all directions. Hinata could maybe come in "helping" him dry off and offer "water". He'll be slowed down enough by then to be forced to listen." He suggests.

Naruto blinks, immediately brightening.

"Hey, great idea! I knew bouncing out plans with someone else would help!" He beams.

Jiraiya ruffles at his hair, laughing louder.

"And to think you didn't want me to be here! I can make non-lewd suggestions when need be!"

Tsunade settles back in her seat, watching the pair.

Dan had told her as he died before her eyes all over again to be happy, to not join him and Shizune so soon...

She swallows the rising ache in her chest, gulping down the rest of her tea.

Her nails dig at her thighs, considering, wondering as Jiraiya orders dessert for them all.

'I don't know why he still cares after how cold I've been to him over the years, even gave him half those scars he has.' Tsunade considers.

Time has stood still for her since Shizune's death, not even Sakura's weekly check-in's or her favorite sakes have taken away the painful throb that comes with each new morning.

Eventually she needs to move forward, one day at a time.

"You don't have to do it alone Tsunade. Jiraiya can be with you, if you want him to be that is. Just promise me, promise us I should say you'll live the rest of your life to the fullest no matter how long that may be." Dan smiles fondly, cupping her cheek.

His kiss takes her back to days in the grasslands outside the village, when their dreams were still possibilities...

"Oi Granny, are you going to eat your cheesecake or just stare at it?" Naruto questions.

"You can always hide the weight of need be." Jiraiya adds as if the sugar and fat content is her concern.

Tsunade shakes away the thoughts, sighing.

"Be quiet you two; I'm just thinking!" She snaps out jolting the pair into silence.

Naruto immediately leans back against Jiraiya to safety, wisely switches to discussing how unpacking is going at home.


Naruto & Hinata

"Tomorrow is the day." Hinata muses taking in the silver glow of the moon. The smell of rain lingers in the air, streak of white lightning flickering across the sky in the distance.

An alternate route would've taken them directly up to the moon, through a palace lost to time...

Naruto curls her back against his side and she feels once more the delicate thrum of his heartbeat in her ears.

"Don't worry, I'm not ever going to let him or any of his puppets attack you." He promises, before lightly turning them in the direction of their bed.

A thousand what-if's have ran through her mind in this passing week. What if he still tries to kidnap Hanabi? Is he going to go after Father and Neji as well? Is he already planning for the moon to hit them?

What will he do when he learns she's pregnant?

Naruto drops a kiss into the side of her neck, gently turns her eyes to his.

"I'm here, just focus on me." He shifts her so that he hovers over, drinking in swell of her breasts, the shine of her peach skin in the moonlight.

A smile curves up her lips as he trails kisses down to her stomach, fingers tapping at the small bump that's formed.

"Do you think it's going to be Boruto or Himawari? I'm sure Bolt wouldn't be happy to be little brother, you know?" Naruto asks.

Hinata giggles, intertwining their fingers. "It won't exactly be Boruto or Himawari as we knew them. After all, they could look completely different from how they were in our memories. They won't have the same personalities either due to some of the people they'll spend time with now being alive."

Naruto nods, pressing his head gently against her stomach.

"Hey, I could handle less pranks from Bolt, you know!"

Hinata grins. "He might get a personality more like Neji's, would that be okay?"

"Well...no! Maybe a good mix of both you and me, plus a tiny bit of him is better!" Naruto amends making her giggles turn into laughs.

He presses her close then, interlocking their lips, massaging at her breasts until a soft moan escapes her. Pervy-Sage was right, he did go to Misato's to get baby supplies, but also books on ways to ensure he and Hinata could safely continue to do things like this.

They both need the distraction, Hinata wrapping her leg with his own kneading at his rising erection.

"If anything, I hope one of them has your blue eyes, still gets your whisker marks." She purrs as slides out of her gown.

Naruto groans, sliding off his boxers following her, greedily opening her legs for himself alone. His first thrust makes her toes curl, the second has her gripping the sheets.

And the third makes her gasp his name.

He takes her until they're both left inexplicably full, sheen of sweat coating them.

'I don't know what I'm going to have to do to stop Toneri.' Naruto realizes hours later taking in Hinata's nude form.

At least one of them is sleeping, clink at the window startling him.

The thunder? Or rain?

The clink comes again, sharper than before.

'No, it's rock pebbles.'

He comes to the window seeing the fractured web of cracked glass, a white figure float away back into the shadows.

One of Toneri's puppets or maybe Toneri himself?

He watches him linger by the corner of the trees and bushes before quietly heading outside.

The grass is still wet with rain, thunderclouds overhead rippling with lighting brightening the violet-black night. His pulse beats wildly in his ears, body heating as he cracks his knuckles.

"So this is where you live. Such a shabby house unbefitting for the Hyuga princess." Toneri's voice remarks from the darkness.

Naruto scoffs, stepping forward to look at him properly.

Same white gown his future self described, same pattern of speech.

"You can't have Hinata, she's already mine." He growls.

Toneri pauses, looking up to the window of their bedroom.

"Just for now." He responds back icily.

Anger digs into him then like spikes, burning at his skin all over, goads him to attack.

"Don't fight him right now. Wait until daylight and when there's more witnesses." Kurama advises to his surprise.

Whatever Toneri sees in his expression anyways is enough for him to back away, a whisper in the air he'll be back tomorrow for Hinata.

The night goes silent once more, low sound of crickets buzzing in, yellow-green fireflies retreating from their hiding spaces flickering about.

"You'll still need us for tomorrow, right?" Gamataro questions from the tree branches quietly.

Naruto nods. "The plan is still on."

But part of him feels the poison won't be enough to settle this rage growing in his chest.

Morning comes too soon, Hinata stretching out her arms taking in the thin strip of orange-pink light on the horizon.

A cool breeze enters as Naruto opens the windowsill slightly, Hinata frowning at the jagged cracks.

"Did something happen overnight?" She questions with a gesture to the glass and Naruto nods slowly.

"One of his puppets." He responds and that is answer enough for her for now.

Toneri never gave a set time when he would be returning back to the manor, Hinata deciding they should head there right after breakfast.

"Will Gamataro and Gamashiro be waiting in the garden?" Hinata asks as they walk along.

"Yup, told them to make sure they're here bright and early!" Naruto chimes out.

Hinata manages a weak grin, letting Naruto lead her to the garden's pond.

And then it's a waiting game.

Out of the corner of her eye she watches Father, Neji, and Hanabi get into their positions by the patio, impatience in their eyes and stiff postures.

Naruto is the only one who doesn't bother to really hide, choosing to stay out in the open leaning against the nearest wall to come in at the right moment to strike, cobalt orbs dark and listless awaiting Toneri's arrival.

"Oh if looks could kill. Gamakichi never said Naruto was going to be this pissed off!" Gamataro snickers.

Gamashiro motions for him to be silent with a puff of his cheeks. The "guest" is going to be here any moment now.

Hinata blows out a breath, nausea snaking it's way up her throat.

But with it comes outrage, a vicious anger clawing to spill out that this man feels he can decide for her what she should want and desire.

The elders did that to her for years, she's not going to let a stranger try and do the same.

She hears him before she sees him.

Toneri appears in a light gust of wind, white hair shining in late morning light.

A pair of his puppets, like guards stand at his right and left.

"Leave us." He orders the duo, pair vanishing with stilted bows and appearing above on the rooftops.

He sits himself down cross legged across from Hinata, smiles taking in her simple pink sweater dress.

"I'm glad you came Hinata, despite us not having the privacy I would've wished for." Toneri begins.

Hinata regards him blankly with a short nod, barely giving him her usual polite nature.

'Stick to the plan.' She reminds herself.

"I'm not sure what you were expecting Toneri. I don't want to be with you, I'm already engaged to Naruto." Hinata starts.

Toneri shrugs, that isn't an issue for him.

"You can just break it off, he'll understand in time." He answers simply.

Her rage bubbles up, tampered down by digging her nails into the grass.

"No. I love Naruto. I don't want to be with anyone else but him; I'm his and he's mine." She states as evenly as she can.

Toneri considers her statement for a long moment, minutes feeling like hours as his grin begins to finally crack.

"Why would you love him? Does he even feel the same way?" He asks, every word feeling more like a jab than a question.

Hinata straightens herself.

"I love him because he brings me happiness, a peace I didn't once have with my family; the courage to not give up. Naruto feels the same. Love hasn't been easy for Naruto to experience in his life and I know for the longest time he wasn't sure what to make of his feelings or mine, but he shows his love from the way he grins at me, steals kisses when he's sure no one is looking, all the secrets we share, and the child we made together." She explains.

Toneri bristles, calm façade gone replaced with indignant upset, eyes opening revealing twin pools of endless black, vein pulsing in his neck.

"You're pregnant? With his child?!" He bellows out.

'How? How could such a thing have happened this soon?!' His thoughts slowly slip into a frenzy.

He's on his feet in a second, hand reaching forward for her stomach.

And just as fast a fine mist begins to surround them Hinata jumping out of range while Gamataro and Gamashiro leap forward.

"Stay back Lady Hinata!" Gamashiro warns as together with Gamataro they unleash a blast of stick residue.

"Toad Oil Bullet!" They strike in unison.

The first spray of water hits one of his puppet guards, arm melting from the mix of heat and oil.

The second though from Gamataro hopping up above lands upon his cheek and lips, force of the blast tearing at his skin. Hinata moves back further into the sunlight, observing everything.

'He's breathed in a fair amount of the abrin now via inhalation and absorption, now it's just a matter of biding a bit more time until the effects kick in.' Hinata determines.

"You made things worse for yourself not coming here alone and you're mistaken if you feel I'll just let you go so easily." Toneri sneers as he swipes off the liquid.

Hinata dodges the blades of his puppets as they shoot forth for her, ignites the tips of her fingers with flames until the fire engulfs their limbs.

"Just as you know then I'll never go with you, we're aware of all of your skills and how to counter them. We'll make sure you never get your hands of any of our clan member's eyes." She replies.

Toneri scoffs, twists himself around a current of lightning putting himself directly face to face with Hinata.

"I've been watching you for years Hinata, seen the way you've improved from childhood up until now. I don't need anyone's eyes to sense your attacks from any direction."

He moves to lean into her only for the ground to begin sinking at their feet, rocks piercing at his legs.

"Good, you didn't focus too much on the changes happening to below you as well!" Gamashiro cheers out.

Toneri grits his teeth, assessing his situation. The earth below him has turned muddier, legs feeling akin to trapped in quicksand.

And then chains coil around him like snakes, immobilizing him completely.

A swish of wind approaches from his left, a burst of heat.

"Rasengan!"

Naruto.

"You're not going to harm Hinata or our child!" He growls, blast rippling through in the air, force enough to topple him to the ground. His heart stutters in his ears, blood gushing into his mouth.

'What's...What's going on with me?'

His reaction time shouldn't have been so slow, chest tightening as Naruto hovers over him.

Naruto tightens his fists again and Toneri holds up a hand.

"Wait, Hinata said...Hinata said she's pregnant. Is this true?" Toneri garbles out.

Naruto snorts, nodding. "Yeah! So just give up on her, you know!"

Toneri lets his hand drop to the ground, panting.

He says nothing for a moment and Naruto prepares to leave him there and let the Hyuga guards take over until he speaks again.

"Boruto Uzumaki. That's what you two plan to name your son still, right?" Toneri rasps out.

At Naruto's silence he offers a half-smirk, ignores the way his stomach is starting to burn.

"I saw a vision of him that perhaps you two will want to know."

-x-


I'm sure I just have a few more chapters left of this story before we reach the epilogue; I'm trying to post on a weekly basis! What Toneri saw of the future won't follow canon exactly, though it will play into more of the post-war era and Boruto's era. Let me know your thoughts as always!

Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow.