"Naruto…" A Voice murmured before growing in strength and volume, "Naruto-kun!"
Naruto woke with a start, thrusting his body forward as he cried out into the morning light. Hinata sat by his side, her hands clasped gently around his shoulders as she tried to shake the delirious effects of sleep from his mind. She watched helplessly as his blue eyes scanned the surrounding area, his expression showing no signs of recollection of awareness of his surroundings. The quite mewling of her daughter caused her to turn, her own lavender eyes breaking tears.
"Go with your brother." She ordered soothingly, silently pleading for the older blonde child to bundle his sister away. It wasn't long until Naruto gained full consciousness, his gaze settling on his wife's startled face. He remained mute and did not move, simply allowing his erratic breathing to regulate itself and for his thoughts to settle.
"Hinata." He merely said her name, causing her to lean forward, in an attempt to reassure himself. He said it again, shaking his head as he looked back on his reoccurring nightmare. He felt feverish and requested a drink, to which Hinata replied by quickly dashing towards the stairs. Naruto listened as she reassured the two cowering youngsters who had holed themselves up in the eldest's room. He lay back down and sighed heavily, knowing he could not work efficiently in such a state. When Hinata soon returned, cold glass in hand, he asked her whether seeking advice from his advisor, Shikamaru, would be worth the trouble. "Why Shikamaru?" She questioned, placing the back of her forehand against her husband's burning cheek. "You have a fever."
Shikamaru still retained vast knowledge of plants and herbs and all things considered, Naruto felt he would be the best person to ask about sleeping difficulties and whether there were any plants to remedy that. Hinata however suggested that he speak with Sakura since she was a qualified medic but he rebuked her offer with a shaken smile. Her next suggestion though he seriously thought to consider; having time away from the mounds of paper work would certainly give him time to recuperate and Shikamaru would work capably without him, but the feeling of guilt at leaving his post consumed him.
"They won't miss you, just for day." Hinata smiled, persuading Naruto to remain in bed until his temperature dropped to its usual degree. She placed her hands to his shoulders and gently coaxed him to lay flat on his back, plumping the pillow that held his head afterwards in order to make him as comfortable as possible. Naruto looked to her, Hinata's face much paler than it usually was. When he asked she responded with a weary explanation; his fits had woken her along with his muttered cries, however, not long after she attempted to wake him his cries amounted to shrills of terror which woke both Boruto and Himawari shortly after. She had sent the two into Boruto's room, not wanting them to see their father in such a state. After she had finished he apologised, rubbing at his forehead to alleviate the pain that throbbed deep inside his temples.
"No need to apologise, just don't go into work today." Then she stood to refill his class and shortly vacated the room, leaving the door open wide enough for Naruto to see his two children emerge from hiding. Himawari shared a concerned glance with her mother before rushing in, flinging her arms around Naruto as she sat beside him. Boruto however proved reluctant to cross the threshold and only advanced as far as the dresses which rested just beyond the entrance. He shifted uneasily as Naruto shot him a tired smile. Himawari on the other hand continued to attend to her father, placing her forehead against his to feel his temperature, coiling away playfully before sprinting off to aid her mother. As she skipped past her older brother he too turned to leave, a frown forming deep at his young brow.
Despite the lack of sleep and high fever Naruto felt restless, his muscles aching to be outside and moving. Despite his wife's protests he decided that it would be best to join Shikamaru in the Hokage's mansion. Even if he were to rest it was unlikely that sleep would find him and the possibility of another frantic episode in front of his two children was enough to spur him from his bed and onto his feet. Part of him would never admit however that it was the fear that kept him from resting.
He dressed himself in more appropriate clothing before slowly making his way along the corridor. His journey to the stares was much more laborious than he had anticipated; his vision blurred occasionally, forcing him to rely on the walls for balance. At one time he almost fell and worried that maybe Hinata may have heard him. Nonetheless he gritted his teeth and managed to stagger slowly down the stairs towards the front entrance. As he placed each foot inside his usual sandals he failed to notice that he son had taken to lingering in his shadow.
"Mum said you should stay home." He finally muttered, glaring hotly at his father who continued to tie the straps of his shoes. Naruto chuckled lightly, explaining that work was too important for him to remain idle in bed simply because he wasn't feeling all that well.
"It's just a fever; some fresh air will do me good." Naruto replied, getting to his feet shakily as another wave of nausea overcame his senses. Boruto however was unconvinced by his father's façade and folded his arms. He desisted to argue with his father, shooting another heated glare in Naruto's direction before he closed the door at his back curtly. Naruto looked over his shoulder to the white door now pressed against his back and listen for Hinata as she questioned her son. Her voice was soft and muffled and conveyed no sense of anger and soon Boruto was allowed to leave her and return to his room where he often stayed, but Naruto knew better and pictured the young boy ambling through his window before clambering down the high fence to what he presumed was freedom. Naruto however had other ideas and walked around the corner to see Boruto half way down the fence when he saw his father. He attempted to release his grip atop the fence as quickly as possible in order to evade his scowling father but found Naruto below his feet.
"You either come down or I get you down myself." Naruto mused, intending his words to seem half-hearted and humorous. His son however took his words as I direct challenge and began to haul himself to the top of the fence again, hoping that he would be able to scale the opposite side and escape. Soon his son's antics proved to irritate him and he wasted no time retuning him to his room.