Gaara finds Hinata alone in a room deep into the compound. Sitting on one of the hallways, looking out to the gardens. Her belly now big enough to be uncomfortable to move around.
He stands right outside the room, preparing himself to face Naruto's wife.
She turns around the second after, not surprised to see him there, and gives him a small smile he returns.
"Did the meeting e-end?"
"No, but I wasn't needed there anymore, so I thought of paying a visit."
Hinata snickers to herself. The moment he arrived yesterday he came to greet her and now he uses his free time to come keep her company. She finds it endearing. But it also makes her feel uneasy, the more people fret over her, the more she realizes the danger they are facing.
Again.
Gaara can't really hide the worry in his eyes. And Hinata is drawn to it. Everyone else has put on a mask in order to protect her.
"I'm sorry you h-had to come here."
"Don't be, I wanted to come."
"B-but, your brother and siste-"
Gaara's eyes twinkle, "We talked about things. We-" The gardens look beautiful, colorful and taken care of and it's easy to forget the destruction outside this enclosed area. "I will keep Naruto safe." He can feel Hinata tensing beside him. "If anything. I want you to know that I will keep Naruto safe, even if I-"
"Don't."
The thoughts inside her head swirl and the images she has fought so hard to keep at bay threaten to come forward. "Don't say th-things like that, please."
She looks at Gaara, but he's calm and his eyes are focused on the flowers near them. There is a nice breeze flowing around and Hinata can't help but look at the necklace adorning Gaara's neck.
"So you went a-ahead and touched it?"
"Well," Gaara's hand goes to his neck without him noticing, his fingers touching the stones without really thinking about it, "I was asked if I could do it, so."
Hinata stares. He talks so nonchalant it rubs off on her too. He's right, there are certain things that must be done, so they shall be done.
"I'm glad…" she starts. Takes a second to make sure, and she can only find herself reassured by Gaara's presence. "I'm glad you're h-here."
Gaara remembers the meeting from before. The plans upon plans and the backups to the backups. "I'm glad to be able to be of help, too"
Soft smiles that hide tight smiles and then they talk about mundane things that won't matter in the future.
And though for a short period of time, they let themselves forget whatever is outside this perfect little piece of garden around them.
•·································•·································•
Ino is the one to stand and check on the door. Itachi can barely hear whispers from his position, but he dares not move. Kiba is near him, all straight back and calm attitude, he has been nicer than the usual guards, but his smile is always controlled, his tone never reaching the high-pitch notes Itachi has heard him use with other people. Whith people he trusts.
They are nice. Nicer than he expected. It makes all of this more complicated.
"Look sharp, Lord Naruto is here," Kiba shares.
Itachi looks up, sees Lord Naruto come into the room. Ino talks with Lord Naruto's counselor, Shikamaru, before calling Kiba and whispering to him before he nods and leaves.
Ino stays. Ino always stays.
Itachi remains quiet. The lord takes his time coming in, he looks around as he sits, carefully moving his kimono out of the way.
"So." Naruto's voice seems to fill the room, his confidence seems to have grown since they first met. "As you know, we are trying to find ways to find Madara, right, and we were discussing the issue today and one of my people thought of taking out your brother and let him guide us there-"
Itachi frowns. Feels his own voice getting stuck in his throat. "My lo-"
"I refused."
Itachi can feel his heart beating wildly inside his chest. He looks down, ashamed.
"I refused this great plan because you showed us trust first, and I would like to repay that trust."
Itachi can feel his mouth dry, his skin prickling. He's powerless here. He has offered his body and mind and everything he is and will be for the chance to keep his brother safe. For the assurance that even if he's gone, Sasuke will have people who will take care of him.
Not like a friend, and certainly not like family, but alive and fed and protected. "Thank you, my lord." And he's glad he chose Naruto, and he's fed up with having to bend his knee at every turn.
Naruto is calm, his hands rest on his lap. He plays with the silence surrounding them, letting it lace his words, letting it fill every space in the room. "So I refused that plan, but we still need to find Madara, right?"
As long as his brother is not out there fighting. As long as his brother is not out there at the mercy of Madara.
"So we're not gonna use your brother, but you're gonna have to step up in his place."
"Of course, my lord." The words leave his mouth before he even realizes it. Itachi can only stare at the ground in front of him.
And it's not that he thinks something will happen. It's not like his mind has let go of the thought of coming out on top.
He just misses him.
In a breath, before Lord Naruto can even get the chance of moving his body.
"My lord…" Naruto lets him know he's listening with a lazy hum. "Could it be possible for me to meet my brother?"
•·································•·································•
Sakura receives her guests just outside the patient's room. Naruto nods to her but her frown remains.
Itachi follows without resistance and Sakura stands before them.
"He says he doesn't want to see his brother."
Itachi remains impassive and Naruto turns to him.
"You still wanna go in?"
"Yes, my lord."
Sakura's frown deepens, "I don't know if it's a good idea…" Itachi refuses to make eye contact and Sakura dips her head, "he really seems to not like the idea of seeing you."
"I expected as much." Itachi's voice is quiet and soft and Sakura can't seem to find any value in seeing the little brother she has heard so much about. He's angry and impolite and he bites before even knowing if he can chew. But Itachi remains in place and unwavering and if he wants to do so. He shall.
Sakura shrugs her shoulders and opens her arms in surrender, "If that's what you want."
Kiba stays outside with Ino close to the door. Sakura gets close to Naruto and tugs at his kimono sleeve to grab his attention. Naruto bows a little.
"Don't let him get to you. He has a way with words."
Naruto looks disgusted but Sakura looks at him for assurance so he nods. "Fuck, I'm gonna hate him."
"Yeah, I think so."
Sasuke is connected to machines that beep in tandem and he looks worse for wear. His skin is pale and his black hair only makes him look paler, his eyes are glossy and the moment they enter his field of view his brows crunch in rage.
"Why are y-" a coughing fit starts and Sakura is quick to go and bring a glass of water to him.
He grabs the glass with more strength than necessary -spilling some of it on his chest- and chugs a part of its contents while sending daggers Itachi's way.
The moment he lays eyes on Naruto his anger somehow grows stronger.
"You-"
"Yes, I." Naruto feels the need to aggravate him somehow and he gives him a smirk as he lets his eyes travel through his body. Sasuke can taste the contempt through his actions.
"Wait till we flatten your land, you son of a-"
"Sasuke," Itachi starts, but Sasuke seems to be in the middle of something.
"- bitch, I will make you regret ever touching me and my clan."
"Yeah? Come get it then, you fucker," Naruto makes a show of staring at his broken limbs, "oh, right, you can't. I'm ready whenever, you little shit, be grateful that your brother cares about you enough to bargain."
Sasuke contorts his face in a way that even makes Naruto be taken aback.
"This piece of shit-" another coughing fit. Sakura is quick to push the glass again to him, while sending a look to Naruto.
"My lord, I thought this was a way for Itachi to speak with his brother."
Naruto grimaces but looks away.
"- he's not my brother," Sasuke finishes.
The room is silent and Naruto expects Itachi to say anything at all, but he keeps quiet too. And judging by Sasuke's agitated state he doubts anything Itachi can say can calm him.
"You will be safe, I promise," is all Itachi says.
"Get the fuck out of my view, you murderer piece of shit."
The hatred dripping from Sasuke's words surprises Naruto, but what surprises him even more is the way Itachi just caves in. His head never rises, his shoulders never straighten. He accepts his brother's words.
"Get well soon."
Itachi leaves on his own and Naruto and Sakura stay, a little too dumbfounded to even move.
"Why don't you leave too," Sasuke barks, "I could use my technique on you and all hell would break loose."
Naruto remains in his place. "You can't even move, child."
"I'm not a child."
Naruto looks at Sakura and can see in her movements that she also feels awkward about this situation. He doesn't particularly feel about Itachi. He doesn't feel about any of his enemies. He can't. But somehow he stays a second too long, and while Sakura helps Sasuke with his pillows, he says, "The only thing your brother asked for was your safety."
He leaves immediately after, and Sasuke's angry voice spills in between the door before it closes.
"I won't ask about it so stop looking so gloom."
They walk back in silence and even Kiba's animated quips are absent.
"We'll keep going like we were before. Keep on feeding us information, we'll prepare, when we find him we attack. Problem solved. You'll get to live with your brother wherever you want after."
Although Itachi now looks forward he stares at nothing. Although his shoulders are straightened he remains unassuming. He answers with a quiet "yes, my lord," that makes Naruto almost feel something.
Before Naruto leaves, Itachi turns to him fully and bows towards him. A deep bow he maintains. "Thank you, my lord. I will await further instructions."
Itachi doesn't stand even after Naruto leaves the room.
•·································•·································•
Hinata rests her hands on her belly as her eyebrows keep on getting closer. "Well, that's sad."
"Do you think I maybe shouldn't talk to you about all of this?" Naruto sweeps her furrow with his thumb and he sneaks a kiss after.
"But I want to know what's g-going on."
"I know, love, but still, what's the baby gonna think?"
"Well, baby is gonna be b-born in a time of turmoil so he better come out p-prepared."
Naruto brings her towards him, his chest rumbling as soft snorts leave his nose. She's leaving soon, so he nuzzles and breathes her in and his hands can't seem to settle in one place.
"You just gotta be calm, okay, I'll be there when you give birth and I'll visit and you'll have Sai and my dad with you, okay. So nothing to worry about, this will happen before we even notice."
He keeps on mumbling against her head and Hinata rests her head on his shoulder. He rocks her as he talks and Hinata just bathes in his voice and the way his hand rests on her belly.
"Yeah, I know, w-we'll be together before we even n-notice."
Naruto hugs her a little bit tighter, his mouth presses against her forehead a little bit longer.
"Yeah, you'll see, we'll be fine. I promise."
Hello, everyone!
Hinata is soon to have baby Boruto and things are just not in the best shape to welcome the son of a Beast Tamer, you see.
Ramona! Thank you as always for your kind words ಥ_ಥ
also... Hinata going to the Hyuga clan is (◔◡◔) you know...
Shoutout to a new anon, hello! Thanks for the cheering up! Things have calmed down greatly in the second job so I hope to have a new chapter soon.
Or the one-shot! I've had that in the works for too long now, I have to get it doooone. And hopefully you'll enjoy it greatly, anon (*￣3￣)
And hello to 'Hello ima guest' (●ˇ∀ˇ●)!
Thank you so much for leaving a comment! It's an honor to know you binged the fic!
As for the lenght of this fic, I would say we are half-way there. We gotta settle the birth of baby Boruto and get our fight with Madara first. Along the way I want to focus on Hinata and her relationship with her family and then a more family-centered last chapters that I hope will make you all cry (*/ω＼*)