Child of the Leaf
Chapter Fifteen
by operadeglace
Hinata was cutting vegetables in the kitchen when Hanabi suddenly divested her of her knife.
"You're ruining my table top, Oneesan."
She says shortly as she points to the cutting board which her older sister had split in half in her distracted state.
"You really need to take the kids back to their father." Hanabi continues, cautiously.
"No. I can't." Hinata replies, her eyes blank as she starts to peel some potatoes in the sink. "I really… I really don't know why I am feeling so angry at him…"
Hanabi takes the peeler away from her sister as well, leading her over to the table so they could sit and chat.
"We talked about this before… you know how Naruto is. He made a mistake, and he knows it." The younger Hyuuga says calmly, patting her sister's hand.
"I'm just so angry-"
"Honestly, I think you're being a jealous wife."
"You're… right, I guess. I mean, Sakura was his first love, his first…everything." Hinata bites her lip angrily, trying to hold back the oncoming flood of tears. "She even gave birth to his first child… I really just… I really hate her right now."
"That's understandable." Hanabi smiles compassionately. "But, you shouldn't feel threatened. If you do, that means you are insecure and unsure about how your husband truly feels about you, even though you are bound by marriage…"
Hinata takes a sudden intake of breath.
"Are you really having doubts..?" Hanabi says incredulously to the Uzumaki matriarch.
Hinata's gaze fell downwards, tears dripping from her chin as she slowly pulled her face into her hands a wept.
—
Naruto's heart was beating like a drum within his chest.
He waited until he could hear Sakura's gentle breathing, signalling her respite into slumber before shooting straight up in his seat.
Just a few minutes earlier, Naruto felt that his day couldn't get any worse.
House empty and cold, wife and kids locked away in a compound on the other side of the village, said kids hated his guts… so, against his better judgement, and the cautioning of his sister-in-law, he absentmindedly decided to visit his former team mate in the hospital.
Sakura's smile had a wonderful effect on his spirits, no matter what mood he was in, and he really needed to be with someone who didn't hate him.
Unfortunately, once he got to the hospital, oranges in tow, he found that his pink-haired friend was asleep. Frowning in disappointment, he unloaded the little fruits into a small bowl on the table and sat down sadly.
Sakura shivered slightly in her bed, alerting the blonde Hokage. In response, he removed his white coat and gently covered his childhood sweetheart with the garment.
Sitting back in his seat, he leaned his arms onto the table next to the oranges, and rested his head on top of his limbs.
'This day couldn't get any worse… if it did… I dunno what to do, Sakura-chan.'
Then the day became infinitely worse.
He felt her slim fingers shifting through his hair, one of his ultimate, favorite things that she used to do when they were together.
"After all these years, I… I still love you. "
And worse…
"But, for the sake of both our families, you must never know."
And worse…
At present, he could only stare at the lone window in the room.
He had spent most of his life in love with a woman whom he thought had never and would never love him back.
Naruto could feel his heart break again with regret, longing, and guilt.
If she had only told him about their son.
If only she had told him that she loved him in return.
Why didn't she?
Did she just love Sasuke more?
Then he was disgusted with himself for caring so much; he already had a family whom he loved , but his life long "obsession" with the blossom-haired kunoichi was threatening everything established in his adult life...
Deep down, Naruto's mind began to churn out dangerous thoughts in light of recent developments. Dangerous, selfish, futile thoughts…
'What can be done so that we can be together, Sakura-chan?'
-The End of Chapter 15.
-Story by ODG
Can't write for a few weeks, so early chapter, albeit short. :')
Don't worry about how Naruto is acting (just like Sakura, I'm trying to be faithful to how Kishi twisted them in the end)… all the characters in the story will gradually turn back to their Shippuden, pre-699/700 selves, according to my plans for this fic. It will take a while, though. Such a mess. tsk tsk
Special thanks to the following for your kind reviews last chapter!
Akamatt, Peach, Whispering Heart, mdtiger, loganhunter2, theIrishWriter, Arsenalfan99, yomii20, CelestialWizard, SamuraiPanda85 (hi hi!).
Peach: Thanks for liking Ayaka! I'm rather fond of her. :)
Samuraipanda85: I should employ you for your accurate and impactful episode summaries, lol
theIrishWriter: Bolt walked to the outskirts of the city to climb the wall, and Naruto was already travelling to the hospital. The explosions weren't large enough to alert the whole city in my mind. :) Thank you for your awesome comments!
