Having Lord Minato beside her makes a world of difference. Where Sakura is confidence and control and Sai is awkward fumbling and good intentions, Lord Minato is softness and reassurance, kind words and consideration.
She knows the pain doesn't fade, but somehow it becomes more manageable. She rides the contractions with Lord Minato's hand on hers and though Hanabi and her father come check on her at night, Hinata keeps her hands on her father-in-law. His calm yet gentle demeanor is everything she needs right now and when the pain grows too strong she twists and turns. Lord Minato cooing her as he wipes down her sweat.
Sakura checks her dilation and Lord Minato stares at her. "She's progressing nicely."
The pain grows too much for Hinata and she begs to be let up. She clings to Lord Minato as she walks around, forcing herself to think of anything but the pressure in her stomach.
But even that relief grows thin too soon and she's back to groaning and panting in pain she can't escape. She's progressing nicely they say, but it's still not enough. She keeps her mind off her pain by moving and walking and digging her fingers onto Lord Minat's arm and hands -without a single sound of discomfort from him, bless his soul- but even that stops being effective after some time.
She knows her father came and stayed a while in the room, she knows Hanabi came and stayed even longer than her father but there's nothing they can do. She won't ask for comfort from them, and they are more useful making sure the compound works as usual. Giving whoever sees them the calm confidence that nothing is going on inside.
Certainly not letting out that the Nine-Tails' Beast Tamer's wife is giving birth to his son inside one of these very rooms.
She misses him.
She misses Naruto so much it breaks her heart not having him around.
And it's only when the pain in her body makes her double over herself, when Lord Minato's hand feels terrible on her skin that she knows she can't hold on any longer.
She needs him here with her and though it may be selfish and though it may be a bother-
"You only have to say the words, Lady Hinata," Lord Minato reminds her and Hinata can't help the tremble of her chin, the way she hangs onto his clothes as she nods along.
"Please," she whispers, "p-please call for N-Naruto."
Lord Minato holds her shoulders and calls for Sakura to stand in his place. He leaves immediately after, away from here, into the forest. Hidden enough not to be noticeable from the compound and concealed enough for his technique to not be witnessed.
The hand seals flow one after the other and his chakra flows. He can feel his signature chakra far away. Away enough for him to barely catch a glimmer, but no matter, this technique was made for this.
His hand falls flat into the scroll in front of him and a ball of smoke envelops him.
•····························•····························•
Naruto reaches into his clothes and takes out the report again. The paper is wrinkled and the letters have smushed together due to his hands tracing the letters again and again. Hinata is in labor.
His wife is in labor and he is away. Frustration can never take hold of him properly though, because he is called time and time again. He is paraded. He is taken everywhere and he resents all of his responsibilities for it.
Until the last moment he visits people. Until the last moment he accepts visitors. His mind focused on the reason why this must happen. His thoughts centered on what this means for Hinata and his son.
His body goes through the motions, his mouth says words that make sense. He doesn't register any of it. His mind is away. His heart constricted inside his chest. He does not want to be here.
He does not want to be away from Hinata.
Time passes excruciatingly slowly. It mocks him. It taunts him. He barks an answer once and Shikamaru just looks at him for a second longer.
Naruto asks for forgiveness immediately after, but Shikamaru shakes his words off. "Nah, I get it. Don't worry."
But he does. And he tries to keep some modicum of attention in here. The need to bounce his leg on the ground growing by the second. The need to pace around makes him clench his jaw.
Night comes and Sai's ink summon finds him in his room. He pounces at the technique and the moment the bird-like summon recognizes his chakra his whole body dispels. A neat piece of parchment left in its stead.
Hinata is still in labor. Everything is progressing smoothly. Everything is good.
But Naruto knows that not everything is good.
Because he's not there with her and he hates himself for it.
•····························•····························•
He stares at his ceiling and can't seem to bring himself to sleep. The darkness only summons images of Hinata's face, the empty space beside him only feeds his loneliness and now even his breathing becomes too loud to his ears.
He turns and tosses and his body refuses to find rest. He can only glare out into the shadows and wait. His body feels tense and he sits, his neck incredibly tight. He wants to scream and run or do anything at all that doesn't involve him staying inside this room.
He needs fresh air, is the only thing he knows. Everything is silent and his every movement echoes along, the wind hits his face and the cold is a welcome change.
He realizes his jaw is clenched the moment he wants to breathe out into the breeze. He wants to chuckle but can only snort, he feels powerless and helpless and he's overcome with feeling. He can only sit and let himself be exposed to the night. The cold biting at his skin helps calm his anxiety and the sounds surrounding him let him concentrate on something different than Hinata's situation.
…
He drags his hands over his face, his fingers digging at his skin. He needs to-
He wants to be able to do something and it's driving him crazy.
He's cursing everything around him when the scroll inside his clothes activates, signaling him that his dad is on the other end, preparing for the technique.
He flies. He jumps to his feet and he's sure he takes the sliding door to Kakashi's room out of its hinges. Kakashi doesn't even need to hear the words that come out of his mouth, but he says them anyway. "Dad's calling. I'm leaving, see ya."
Kakashi is awake and ready, his body had roused itself from sleep the moment Naruto's feet had come stomping around. He lets Naruto know he's ready for his job as a replacement, but he doesn't think his lord heard him. His blond hair already out of sight. His chakra signature already out in the garden.
Naruto doesn't leave the premises, they were already prepared for his eventual departure. They prepared a substitute, they had sequestered his quarters. He will still be here and no one will be the wiser about it.
His hands tremble and he doesn't realize that he's still in his sleeping robe until it's too late to do anything about it. A technique his father had mastered, a technique only his father and his godfather could use.
Naruto will have to make the way back on his own.
He's in the Uzumaki compound one second and then he's in the Hyuga compound the next.
He grabs the scroll, hastily puts it into his clothes and starts running.
Hinata's signature chakra fills his body and he feels himself tearing up. Sai finds him halfway through, his face paler than ever, but he reassures him that everything is fine.
Naruto's heart is at his throat. He can feel his heartbeat in his ears. His own chakra tells him they are alone too, and he can feel himself relaxing slightly. Everything's fine. Everything's good.
Sai guides him through the hallways and he feels his body tingling, his legs move but he has no recollection of moving them, he can hear his breathing but he has no recollection of even inhaling.
Sai reaches a door and stands next to it, motioning for him to enter.
HInata is hunched over, her hands clasping at Sakura's. Sakura says something Naruto doesn't catch and his wife looks up, her face is red and sweaty, her hair sticking to her. Her mouth is a line and her eyebrows are all scrunched up. She looks like she's ready to fight.
But then she looks at Naruto and her whole face twists. She waddles to him and Naruto jumps to catch her into his arms, careful not to squash her. His whole body shivers and he engulfs Hinata in a hug the moment she hides herself into his chest.
She starts crying the next second.
"It's okay," he cooes, "it's okay, I'm here, love, I'm here." She grabs at his clothes and Naruto rubs his hands at her back. "You're doing so good, so good, you know, I've read every report from Sai. You're doing amazing."
He reaches for her face, his hand rubbing circles on her cheek. "Hey," he calls, his eyes searching for hers, "hey, love." Hinata sniffles as she looks up to him and her chin trembles the moment she does. She babbles his name.
Naruto smiles at her, his forehead to hers, his lips pressing kisses everywhere he can. "I love you, I love you."
HInata still cries and presses her face to Naruto, her body still hurts and her contractions don't let up, but her husband is next to her. Encouraging her and soothing her through her pains, and when she's tired she can let her body rest on his arms, and when her contractions worsen he messages her back. He swings them around to help with the pain on her hips, her hands around his neck, his hands around her back. She knows that if she were to lose all strength he would catch her and keep her steady.
And it's everything for her.
"I can't d-do this," Hinata shakes her head against Naruto. "I c-can't."
The pain is immeasurable, her whole body feels tense and tight and sore and like it's not her own anymore. She can't do this. She can't-
"It's okay," Naruto's voice reaches her. His whole body swaying with her. Her strength has all but left her and it's only Naruto's arms around her body that keep her upright. "It's okay, you're doing so good."
And Hinata believes him. She stares at his face, the way he brings her hand to his mouth to kiss. She lets herself forget the pain when he kisses her temple. She encourages herself to get through the next contraction as he whispers into her hair.
And then the pain rises again and she wants to fall to the ground, double over her body, but Naruto doesn't let her. She bites his shoulder, she muffles her scream into his chest, and when the pain goes away he's back to his dance. To his sweet nothings into her ear.
She snorts into his arm.
"What? What is it?"
"You're f-funny."
Naruto scoffs, "Am I now?"
"I want to s-scream and give u-up and you won't l-let me."
His body freezes a second. His hand to the back of her head. "What are you talking about, Hinata? This has been all you, love. All you."
Sakura's hand on her body feels as natural as her own now, and with how frequent she has been checking in on her body she doesn't even feel it when Sakura checks her dilation.
So the surprise is even greater.
"My lady, you're ready, let's prepare you for the birth of the young lord."
Next chapter we'll meet the young lord!
I just loved writing Naruto being the sweetest husband ever. Sue me lol
Also, as I was writing this I realized we have like, this to go through, the whole Madara thing getting resolved and maybe one short interlude before we enter the last part of this fanfic. I don't think we'll go over 20 chapters for this one (there will be plenty of parts to each chapter though (❤´艸｀❤)).
Have a good one, take care and see you next week!
Ramona! It is indeed happening! hahahah baby Boruto is taking his time, but he'll be here soon!