Chapter 9: Just While You're Here & Now- Age 32
"Through the blur, I wondered if I was alone or if other parents felt the same way I did - that everything involving our children was painful in some way. The human heart was not designed to beat outside the human body and yet, each child represented just that - a parent's heart bared, beating forever outside its chest."
― Debra Ginsberg
A/N: Boruto and Himawari refer to Jiraiya as either Grandpa or Toad Gramps just so nobody gets confused! They have slightly different personalities from their canon selves as well!
Naruto & Hinata- Uzumaki Household
"Soo, are you just not going into work today?" Boruto asks between slow bites of his onigiri.
Normally Dad would've rushed out of here by now in a whirlwind of to-go ramen, paperwork, and goodbye kisses to Mom.
Naruto shrugs, gaze stuck on his slowly cooling tamagoyaki and rice. He'd already pinched himself and had Hinata pinch him as well to confirm that neither of them are dreaming. He'd wanted to see Boruto and Himawari again yes, but not when they're on the cusps of being teenagers, when Boruto already thinks of him as old.
He needs to at least call or text Shikamaru of this new predicament, he'll understand considering the same thing already happened before on the day of his inauguration.
"You do look kind of sick, y'know? Did you eat too much ramen last night or something?" Boruto prods further in concern.
Naruto looks up at him, schools his face into what he hopes is a placating grin.
"Perhaps Mama and I did, I can't really recall." He admits, partially telling the truth.
Considering that yesterday he was about Boruto's current age...
Boruto huffs quietly in response, clearly not fully believing him.
Himawari patters into the kitchen a moment later, cobalt orbs so bright and cheerful it almost makes Naruto forget his and Hinata's current situation. He's used to having to look down at her while listening to her babbling, tiny hands curling around his ankles to get his attention.
But his daughter is now at least half his height, bouncing on her toes eagerly.
"Papa, if you and Mama are feeling sick, you can just stay home today! Uncle Shikamaru can take care of the paperwork!" She advises.
Naruto grins, that's most likely what's going to happen.
Boruto scoffs, waving off Himawari's idea. "Papa's not sick Hima! He's just being weird today for some reason."
Hinata comes into the kitchen before Naruto can think of some kind of retort he's fine, putting on smile when he catches her eye. They need to do their best for the kids today despite their jump in ages from what they're used to.
Again.
"You should let Shikamaru know you're going to have to call in. Maybe send Jiraiya a quick text as well of our current situation." She advises with a nod towards his phone.
Naruto's gaze falls to his latest gadget, another upgraded model he isn't used to. He assumes correctly he at least likes to keep to the same password no matter what type of phone he has by using a mix of his and Hinata's birthdays, screen lighting up revealing a background of them all at a beach somewhere.
'When was this taken?' He wonders in surprise, taking in everyone's smiling faces.
Boruto has a mix of a mischievous and bemused grin etching his lips, posing with one hand pumped straight up towards a clear sky. Himawari beams from right behind him, hands halfway curled around his shoulders in mid leap to knock him into the waves.
Hinata is tucked into his side, grinning for the camera while still keeping one hand on Himawari's back to steady her from toppling only herself over into the water.
Naruto wracks his mind for the memory as he studies the picture, maybe last summer? The deep blue of the water reminds him of the ones near the Land of Waves, far less turbulent and stormy like the ones surrounding Kumo and the Island Turtle.
'Alright, let's get this over with.'
He scrolls through his contacts until he comes upon Shikamaru's name, already expects him to give him an earful wondering where he is.
"I hope you have a good explanation I can give to the visiting advisors from Kusagakure on your lateness! On top we were going to discuss points to bring up for the 5 Kage Summit next week." Shikamaru gives by way of greeting.
Naruto winces, stepping away from the table before the kids can see his grimacing.
Already off to a bad start!
"Err, it's easy enough to explain, y'know! Hinata and I time-leaped again unfortunately." He hisses out quickly.
A long pause follows that statement, Shikamaru eventually breathing deeply into the phone with a groan.
"...It's too early to be joking like that, though I guess it would happen today of all days. You and Hinata really need to get this time-leaping ordeal over with and solved." He grumbles.
"We're working on it! We know Kabuto is one of the people involved! It's just a matter of tracking down who else was working with him and destroying the blueprints and data they all collected to make the time device in the first place." Naruto answers back quickly.
He pictures Shikamaru nodding along, mind switching gears calculating how to handle the rest of today.
"Well, it's troublesome of course. We were supposed to discuss with Kusa and some of the smaller villages new travel routes to be implemented to improve technology in their regions as well as proposals from some the shop managers here for a new holiday."
Naruto simply hums, pretends to understand what Shikamaru is even talking about.
At least tomorrow his 32-year old self won't have screwed up any of these meetings!
"Okay, I'll get on top of informing that old team of yours. You update Master Jiraiya. He knows the most about you and Hinata's case out of any of us. As for the leaders...well they'll understand hopefully that you're 'sick'. I'll tell them you have a bout of stomach flu or something." Shikamaru determines, Naruto thanking him before hanging up.
He owes him some cigarettes and sake when this is all over.
Instead of answering his call, Pervy-Sage goes straight to Face-Timing him.
"What's up Kid?! Shouldn't you be at the Hokage tower by now? You said you had some big meeting coming up you made a whole PowerPoint for. Oh, are you playing hooky with the missus?! Going for child number 3?!" Jiraiya beams.
"No, no, nothing like that! Hinata and I time-leaped again!" Naruto explains straight to the point, reddening hoping none of the kids are in hearing range.
Jiraiya blinks, smile evaporating.
"Well...shit."
"Not so loud, please! I can only keep Boruto and Himawari distracted with sweets for so long." Hinata mentions from behind Naruto.
Jiraiya straightens himself, putting on a serious look.
"Alright, you two sit tight! I'm heading your way now! That should give you time to explain things to Boruto in the interim."
Before either can ask what he means he ends the call.
And Naruto sees in the black of his screen Boruto's gazing at them from behind, azure of his eyes darkening in shock and worry.
The cinnamon roll in his hand crumples, bits of sticky sugar and cream sliding to the ground.
"What is time-leaping? Why is Grandpa coming here?" Boruto questions.
At their silence his frown deepens, confusion spilling into his face.
"Wait, so you weren't messing with Hima and I earlier? You're really not our Papa and Mama?"
"We are your Papa and Mama Boruto, just with some of our memories a bit foggy." Hinata attempts to calm him.
Naruto takes a step forward only for Boruto to move a step back and he feels his heart start to crack as distrust swirls over their son's features.
"Who are you and Mama really?"
Naruto & Hinata- Konoha Outskirts
"-And can you believe people are ripping off my work now?! I mean, yeah I was really happy in the beginning that so many of my fans on and offline enjoyed my Make Out Paradise series enough to want to make their own works, but the advent of technology has made people think these trashy novels like 'Perfect Paradise' or 'Hot and Naughty Ninja' were made by me! It's taking my agents forever to get all my plagiarized works off the markets both in digital and print!" Jiraiya bellows as they walk along the streets of Konoha.
Naruto rolls his eyes, makes sure Boruto's and Himawari's ears are covered for this conversation. The pair had insisted on coming along upon realizing their memories truly are 'lost'. Boruto in particular considered it a mission and good enough reason for him and Hima to skip school today.
'I wonder if Hinata and I should've pushed maybe for Neji or Hanabi to watch them instead, granted I didn't want them to be too far from us either.' Naruto muses.
"What does any of that have to do with what I texted and talked to you about earlier y'know Pervy-Sage?!" He gripes, gazing back at at the Toad sage.
Jiraiya grins cheerily, ignoring his huffing. "What? I can't vent about my own problems Kid?! Anyways, I already knew what you were going to tell me give or take, comes with the knowledge of the notes all those various versions/time-loops of me you've met with since your time-leaping ordeal started!"
Sakura as well had given them a clean bill of health, her words echoing back up.
"Your vitals are all normal, maybe a slightly high heart rate and blood pressure, but that's to be expected based on your situation and a bit of white coat syndrome." She remarks.
She sighs, looking between Naruto and Hinata completely stumped.
"I'm afraid I don't really know what's going on with you two and Sasuke has found any distortions in time or space near Konoha's borders."
Hinata perks up at that. "So where are we heading to then?"
Jiraiya waves up a finger. "Gotta keep it a surprise!"
Hinata sighs, Jiraiya's personality continues to be the same no matter what age he they meet him at each day.
Though both she and Naruto quickly realize where they're heading once a blue-roofed building comes into view out of the greenery, sound of children's laughter echoing in the forests deeper north.
The Konoha Orphanage.
Jiraiya's grin dims some. "Kabuto resides here as an aid, you two go on ahead. He's never been too happy to see me after what I did to him all those years back. Lord Third said I hadn't been harsh enough, though that's in retrospect."
Naruto glances to him curiously then. Considering the changes he and Hinata made that day, Old Man Third could truly be enjoying his retirement right now as well.
"How...How is he by the way?"
Jiraiya shakes his head. "He passed a few years ago, at least not by Orochimaru's hand. From what his bodyguards said, it occurred while he was asleep at home. Heart disease from all those years smoking I suppose caught up with him, though he knew that in the end."
Boruto moves to follow after Naruto and Hinata inside only for Jiraiya to halt him with a hand to his shoulder.
"Just your parents Bolt, they shouldn't take too long!" He chimes out.
Boruto instantly scowls, how are they supposed to be of help if they can't even go in?
Himawari focuses in on the building, activating her byakugan. "He's upstairs Papa, Mama!"
She turns her attention to Jiraiya, beaming at a sudden idea.
"Grandpa, I've been practicing my substitution jutsu; I have to show you! My spying techniques will soon be on your level!"
Boruto rolls his eyes. "Toad Gramps isn't even good at spying Hima! Granny always knocks his teeth out or breaks one of his limbs every time he tries to peep on her bathing."
Jiraiya wisely moves the two away onto the opposite side of the forest for target practice before Naruto and Hinata can decide to do the same to him over the lessons he's giving them!
Naruto blows out a breath, nodding to Hinata.
Time to find out what Jiraiya did exactly in their previous time-loop.
The rooms of the orphanage are quiet, oakwood floors spotless with the faint scent of pine and lavender in the air. One may think the place is abandoned though taking in older out of date rooms covered with layers of dust and creeping vines from outdoors, shuttered off from exploring too deep.
"I assume he's just waiting for us to enter." Hinata observes as they come upon Kabuto's location.
Her stomach fills with butterflies, mouth turning cottony and dry as Naruto finds her hand.
Naruto countdowns for them, pushing open the door without knocking.
The man before them looks nothing like Kabuto.
Silver hair falls in tendrils around his eyes, oily sheen to it of being unkempt and unwashed. One good eye slowly peers up to them, the other hazy and drooping. Wrinkles mar his ashen skin from head to toe, frown splitting across his face.
'He looks older than Pervy-Sage or Granny!' Naruto tries not to gape, matching his scowl with one of his own.
"Huh, so you two have finally come back. Here to finish the job on me? I figured you both would be too busy with your Hokage and parental duties to care about what projects I'm up to anymore." Kabuto regards bitingly, voice raspy.
"What happened that day? The day of the invasion?" Hinata questions, ignoring his ire.
Kabuto scoffs, points at his body. "You're a Hyuga, it's obvious even without your clan's eyes. Jiraiya, I don't know how, but he knew of mine and Master Orochimaru's plans. He scrambled with my vision and hearing, the functions of my cerebellum. Everything a shinobi needs to be in the line of duty."
His grip tightens upon his cane as he moves to stand, blue of his veins pulsing to life matching his rage.
"I was useless to Master Orochimaru afterwards; tossed away like one of his defective experiments! I had no choice but to come back to this village, to this orphanage that treats me more as a prisoner than an actual aide to these brats."
Naruto instantly puts Hinata behind him as Kabuto steps closer, Hinata crackling flames up at ready.
His frown warps into a twisted grin, nodding towards his murky window.
"Jiraiya may have stopped me then, but this changes nothing in regards to my time device project and the associates I had on board who went into hiding immediately afterwards. They'll complete the project where I failed and gather everything I need from your offspring and any others I ask them to get. Boruto and Himawari are the future after all, someone has to study them."
Naruto grits his teeth, tired of his insults, these continual threats of harm to his family.
He crosses over to Kabuto in two quick strides, senbon needles hidden within his sleeves tossed and clattering to the ground in a rain of pointed silvers and grays. His skin blooms a purple-red from Naruto's pressure on his neck, breaths turning into weak gasps and strangled coughs.
"Pervy-Sage should've just left you for dead."
"Naruto-" Hinata begins, placing a hand on his back.
"I know." Naruto finishes, grumbling.
They didn't come here to kill him, though it seems they aren't going to get any further answers either.
Kabuto greedily sucks in gulps of air when Naruto finally loosens his pressure.
"It would look bad for the Hokage to murder a feeble old man like me! Anyways, eventually I'll get what I need from Boruto or maybe even Himawari and neither of you will be able to stop it. Their DNA, particularly the Uzumaki side is the perfect blend needed to master the secrets to longevity and power. You two should be excited, it's those very things about your children that could help others even if it harms them just a little! A perfected time device plus a bit of experimenting with their blood could bring injured children and shinobi back to healthier states and bodies-."
Hinata jabs into his chest to silence him, Kabuto crumpling to the ground.
He smiles up at them, nothing about his mindset or goals having changed no matter how many years pass, no matter if they keep jumping forwards or backwards...
"Oh don't look so sad you two! My team-members or even myself maybe will find you both in your next time-leap, whether you want us to or not."
Jiraiya & Boruto
"How are we helping them if we aren't there Toad Gramps?! We rather as well have waited at home, y'know!" Boruto gripes, trying and failing to find where his parents have gone within the building.
His byakugan hasn't activated like Hima's or at least, what he has doesn't allow him to see chakra pathways the way she and Mom can.
"I thought you weren't trying to worry too much?" Jiraiya teases.
"I'm not! I mean...if I can help Papa or Mama feel better, then I want to do so." Boruto immediately defends, flustering avoiding his gaze.
Jiraiya simply hums, observes as he hits another bull's-eye perfectly between his observing for the pair to return. He may have his Father's looks, but his personality jumps more between his Mother and the Hyuga clan if anything when embarrassed.
"You sound a little bit like that Old Man of yours when you talk that way!" He smiles making Boruto stiffen.
His shoulders droop, scuffing his feet against the ground bringing up grass and dirt.
Boruto twists his gaze back to Jiraiya, cerulean boring into onyx.
"Uncle always say he isn't sure if that's a good or bad thing to be like Papa when he was my age!" He remarks, thoughtful as he crosses his arms. He plops himself down against the bark of the tree opposite him, clearly done with all the exercises he's given him to keep him and his sister distracted.
"What happened to them really Gramps? Are Mama and Papa's memories gone forever or just today?" He questions.
Jiraiya settles beside him, pats at his shoulders. "I know you're concerned Boruto, but Naruto and Hinata are still the same Mama and Papa you had yesterday and that you'll have tomorrow. Their memories are just a bit scrambled due to a time device they got blasted with. They don't want you or Hima getting involved or hurt while they try to figure out how to get back to their original bodies and place."
Boruto sighs, leaning back against him too puzzled to respond.
"Well...if it's just for today, I should get some training in with Papa! He'll be too busy again by tomorrow!" He determines.
Himawari pops out from trees above, holds out a spotted brown toad excitedly.
"Grandpa, I found this toad by the river! But it's not talking to me like the ones from Mount Myōboku!"
Jiraiya chuckles while Boruto studies the warty toad flatly as he moves to stand.
"Hima, that's just a regular stream toad, y'know. Put it back at it's home!"
"Aww, how do you know Big Brother? Maybe it's just being shy!" Himawari considers, hugging the toad close after another inspection of it's spots.
Boruto merely shakes his head, picking blades of reeds and twigs from her violet hair.
"Trust me, Mr. Toad prefers the swamps and mud than being clamped up in your arms like that." He smiles.
Himawari pouts, but does as he asks releasing the amphibian back into the wild.
Naruto and Hinata re-emerge from the bushes just as the toad disappears out of sight, Himawari brightening up immediately.
"Papa, Mama, you're back!" She cheers, nuzzling into them.
Boruto approaches slower, pushed into Naruto's side by Jiraiya.
Naruto smiles, ruffling at his hair.
"You weren't giving Pervy-Sage too much trouble while we were gone, were you?"
Boruto shakes his head, reddening at his bemused look while returning his hug before frowning.
"Wait, I have questions for you both Mama and Papa! And you're going to give me answers!" He remarks, stepping back from them.
"Oh?" Hinata arches a brow at his sudden energy, sharing a look with Naruto at his seriousness.
'He must want to train.' She smiles.
Boruto vigorously nods, pushing onward.
"You have to spend the day playing and training with both Hima and I!" He orders.
Naruto chuckles, his demand the same from years ago. For a flicker of a moment he's his 4 year old son again on the cusp of 5, stubby fingers pounding his arms and legs demanding his attention.
'Except I didn't get a chance to fulfill it...'
"Okay!" Naruto agrees readily.
Boruto pauses, deflating slightly. This really isn't Papa. Papa would be too sleepy and give him some tired excuse, would be at the Hokage's office, at some boring meeting...
Too late does he hide his grin.
"Really, it's that easy?" He asks, jabbing his side to ensure he's not clone.
"That easy." Naruto confirms.
Boruto studies him again like he's a mystery to be solved making him wonder when their relationship became so strained...
He has until the end of today to figure it out.
Naruto & Boruto
"I can't say I fully get it, y'know. Though if my Dad, your Grandfather Minato had lived, I guess I might've grown up the same way you had. I always wanted to prove to people that I was strong, more than just Konoha's jinchuriki." Naruto starts.
Boruto launches out a pair of shuriken Naruto dodges, pulls out a kunai to clash with his own.
"Ugh, why Hokage though?! What's so great about it that even Grandpa and Grandma wanted to be Hokage too? I mean, I know Grandpa didend up being the Fourth Hokage, but you're saying Grandma wanted to be the first female Hokage too? You can't even go on missions anymore y'know!" He retorts.
They land back on the ground, Boruto unleashing three shadow clones.
"You know shadow clones are my signature jutsu, right?" Naruto laughs, copying him.
Boruto shrugs, one clone making lightning while the other gathers a swirl of wind.
"Yeah, but you're old now. And slower!"
A moment later he eats those words, Naruto happily putting him in a headlock. The trees around them lay cracked in two or splintered across the grassland.
"Okay, okay! I give, geez!" Boruto huffs between laughs at his tickling.
"You still haven't told me about all the things I've apparently forgotten y'know! I thought that was the other reason you wanted to come out here besides to train." Naruto mentions.
Boruto shakes his head of sweat and grass, shrugging. "You know the basics about me and Himawari I suppose, and all my friends and your friends. You just don't seem to remember things like when you, me and Toad Gramps went to visit Mount Myōboku last summer for example. Or dancing and sneaking kisses to Mom at that boring Hokage gala downtown at the start of the year. Oh and then there was the relay race I did with Sarada and Mitsuki last month while Konohamaru-sensei cheered us on and the fishing trip we did up north before the ice froze up all the rivers back in early wintertime."
Naruto feels his expression dampen, everything he describes he can picture almost vividly, puzzle pieces of his life at 32, of what his life will be eventually.
Hopefully.
Boruto stretches and Naruto blinks as metal catches light, reaching for him.
Naruto holds up both his hands in place skyward, brows furrowing taking in the metal gauntlet upon his right arm.
His stomach tightens, gritting his teeth.
"What is this?" Naruto asks directly.
Boruto blinks at his sudden sharp tone, following his gaze.
"A scientific ninja tool. Maybe I should've used it knowing you have such an advantage over me-"
He stops himself at Naruto's alarmed expression, flinching as he rips the device away, crushes it exposing wire.
"...Why?" Naruto asks.
"Why what?" Boruto questions slowly.
Naruto turns to look at him fully then, Boruto squirming under his intense gaze.
"Why use this device at all Boruto? You're so smart and skilled, why would you need to cheat?!" He bellows.
Birds scatter at his shout for the canopies, Naruto blowing out a breath to calm himself.
Boruto says nothing for a long moment.
"...So you would be impressed. You, Uncle, and even Toad Gramps. So that people see that I'm more than just your son, that I can do other cool abilities without us always being compared." He admits.
Naruto rubs his head.
"You're already ahead of me grades-wise from when I was your age. I was dead last in my class when it came to every subject. Skills wise, you never need to cheat to get my attention."
Boruto looks down, nails digging up clumps of earth.
Naruto scoots himself beside him, Boruto turning away from his gaze.
"Listen, stop using that scientific tool. If that gauntlet broke or started messing up while you were on an important mission, you'd have to rely back on the skills you trained yourself in."
"...Fine." Boruto grumbles.
He hates when he has a good point, shuffling his feet.
'I hope he actually takes my words to heart.' Naruto sighs.
If he's as stubborn as he was at his age, it may take more than one sparring session or fight for it to truly sink in.
"Who gave you that tool anyways?" Naruto grunts.
"Katasuke, Tōno! He always lets me try out his gadgets!" Boruto beams.
It's not his first time hearing about that name, the man who is leading projects on the blending of technology with the shinobi world.
And Naruto makes a mental note for he and Hinata to add him and his colleagues as people for them to interview eventually.
"Papa, why did people hate you when you were my age?" Boruto suddenly asks.
His stare nervously shifts between him and the village below, late afternoon sun casting golden glows against the cobblestones and rooftops.
"Well, being a prankster on top of being Konoha's jinchuriki are the main reasons that come to mind." Naruto thinks.
Boruto nods, so those are the things kept out of his history textbooks in class, why all the books and chapters on his Dad don't have any information really before he was 12.
It explains his earlier anger, Papa had to work hard to change people's opinion of him while he's...he's always been admittedly spoiled. Time and again he's been giving things his Dad could only dream of having at his age.
A painful thought suddenly sinks in, there's nothing about Papa's dark childhood because it's been erased, buried away as one of Konoha's old shames...
'Oh, no wonder.' Boruto frowns sourly to himself.
"Err, why do you ask?" Naruto inquires.
Boruto looks back to him, bumps a fist gently against his chest.
"Because Papa, you've never really told me about your past."
Naruto, Hinata, & Himawari
"Don't go easy on me, I know how to defend myself!" Himawari promises, hands posed up ready to strike again.
They've been at this for most of the afternoon into the early evening now, both Naruto and Hinata still utterly lost on how this game is supposed to work.
"It's apparently some type of 'red-light, green-light shinobi' game, where you try to hit your opponent before they call out the name of your attack." Hinata whispers to Naruto.
"That...doesn't make any sense y'know!" Naruto hisses back.
It's amazing Hinata somehow even figured out the instructions for this game before he and Boruto returned, coming upon the duo in the midst of a gentle fist showdown with neither looking like they planned to let up.
"Oh, red-light, green-light attack! I want in Hima!" Boruto beckons, running over.
Hinata smiles over at him. "Want to give Mama a break and you two play?"
Because she still doesn't understand exactly the rules of this!
Boruto shakes his head, grinning deviously in a way that reminds her of Naruto.
"Nope, we're teaming up! Himawari and I vs you and Papa!"
This must be some weird game Pervy-Sage created with her out of boredom one day!
Himawari activates her byakugan once more, index fingers up.
Hinata moves in as she rushes for Naruto's arm.
"Gentle fist for Naruto's right arm!" She calls out, Himawari freezing in place before the move can land, Naruto using the opportunity to tickle her sides.
"And Papa goes in for a stomach tickle!" Naruto adds in.
Himawari topples into his lap, giggling. "You're playing wrong!"
"Papa, that's not an attack!" Boruto yells from the opposite side.
She gazes up at Naruto, clapping her hands in delight at a sudden thought.
"Wait, hold on! I have a some scrolls and shinobi gear Grandpa gave me from our last trip in my room!" She bellows.
Naruto blinks, can't help but move to follow after her back inside. This is his first time seeing more of not only Boruto's personality and interests as he ages, but Himawari's as well.
'Well, they were just 5 and 2 respectively when I last saw them truly.' He muses, following after Himawari into the room that once held her nursery. A collection of stuffed animals line her bed, pandas, lions, rabbits, and toads various shades of purples, blues, and greens.
On her walls are a collage of drawings of himself, Hinata, Boruto, and Jiraiya around Konoha and the neighboring regions, eyes widening a fraction seeing what looks to be an etching of the Island Turtle of Kumo to the wide cascading waterfalls of Takigakure.
"When was this?" Naruto asks, pulling down a sketching of what he thinks is Gaara and his siblings. The deep maroon coloring for the hair of the figure in the middle plus the thick waves of sandy colors used for the background make him assume.
"Ah, Grandpa took me on a field trip to Suna during my winter break last year! Oh...but you probably don't remember that." Himawari states, gazing between him and her closet still trying to retrieve her scroll.
Naruto pins it back in place, it's clear Hima enjoys art. Maybe he should enroll her in more of Sai's fingerpainting lessons once he gets back to his proper time and place...
"Do you want to be an artist when you get older Hima? Or be a traveler like Pervy-Sage?" He asks, plopping down on her bed.
Himawari pauses in her search, humming thoughtfully.
"Well I'm at the Academy now, so maybe a shinobi who travels a lot and draws on the side! Grandpa said I could do both after all; he's always saying artists and writers use the experiences of people they meet and see in order to create their work!" She describes.
'Well, hopefully your works don't get known for just being dirty adult-themed booksor art.' Naruto frowns.
Himawari takes his grimace for worry, sitting down beside him to pat at his hands.
"Don't be scared Papa! I'm doing well in my studies at school and Boruto practices with me when he can! I train most weekends with Uncle and Auntie at the Hyuga manor too so I'm always ready for the worst case scenario. Today is soon enough going to be yesterday, we all have to keep moving forward."
Naruto simply nods at her poetic stance. "Sounds like something Neji would say."
"It is! We do a weekly poem and meditation together! Boruto even sometimes brings up things he read online or studied in his classes!"
Neji's words unfortunately have a layer of truth to them, the worst has already happened in a sense and he must keep moving forward. However much he hates to think about it, there's always a chance even in the future that war could break out again amid the nations, peace shaken up leading to Boruto and Himawari needing to fight if he and Hinata aren't able to defend or protect them properly...
Himawari waves a hand in front of his face, regaining his attention.
"Papa worries too much." She murmurs into his arm, Naruto squeezing her close.
"That's my job, y'know!"
It will always be his job, even after he gets back to his correct body, even after Himawari gets tall enough to no longer need his help reaching for things in the upper cabinets or asking him for help with homework that he himself may get stuck on.
Himawari smiles, light tapping at the door making them both twist.
"Are we moving the fight up here?" Hinata teases, stepping into the room.
Himawari shakes her head, moving to stand.
"Nope, I give up!"
Boruto rolls his eyes, retort dying on his tongue at Hinata's side glare.
"You just couldn't find whatever scroll you were looking for." He mutters instead.
Himawari merely laughs, sticking out her tongue in defiance, Hinata replacing her spot on the bed beside Naruto as she follows after Boruto downstairs to help in getting dinner started.
"This is nice." Hinata admits, leaning on Naruto's shoulder. She blinks back a wave of tears now that the kids are out of the room, waits for her throat to not feel so tight. This pretending for a day that everything is mostly fine is almost done.
Naruto nods, finding Hinata's hand to squeeze. The reminder to each other like always they aren't alone in this.
Because tomorrow this will all be gone for them.
Naruto & Hinata
It was a relatively peaceful day.
And if it weren't for their clouded memories, they're sure their 32-year old selves would've carried out their normal tasks in and out of the house. Hinata makes enough bowls of gyudon, yakisoba, donburi, and chicken katsu that cooking at least won't need to be done again for the next few days. She reviewed and stacked notes she had been apparently making on some patients needing various infusions for the week at the hospital as well.
Naruto declutters his office some, puts everything in place as Shikamaru texted him to do so that tomorrow his 32 year old self isn't scrambling about trying to find the right files and documents.
"You'll probably need to say you had a fever, some nasty GI ailments that will keep the advisors from asking too many questions." Shikamaru warns.
Good, another embarrassing situation he won't have to face.
"It was a good day, right?" Hinata mentions while curling into Naruto's side.
Boruto had flat out questioned if things would really be normal in the morning and all he could do was say 'yes' even with the uncertainties filling his chest. Himawari asked without so many words, telling her much the same that he would try and go with her on where ever her next excursion with Jiraiya would be.
"Besides dealing with Kabuto, yeah I suppose. I don't want Boruto to hate me or believe he has to go as far as cheating to get my attention. I hope Pervy-Sage and Neji let him know that too with extra lessons." He mutters.
Hinata smiles up at him, gaze softening. "Things come so easy to Boruto, we spoil him and Himawari to a degree with the things we never had growing up. Boruto himself wants to move out of your shadow as well as make sure you can see his own growing shadow."
Naruto chuckles then, drops a kiss to her head. "I could always see it, I think he knows that now at least y'know."
Sleep starts to claw at him, pulls at his eyes making them heavy.
"We have to sleep eventually Naruto." Hinata laughs, breath warm on his lips.
They already tried staying up all night and that failed.
"Kabuto. I don't know what he, Katasuke, or whoever those scientists working with him will do once we drift off. We'll always have a target on our backs until we can stop these loops, pin down and destroy the device before it can ever get to Boruto's hands."
It's that one thought that keeps them up a bit longer. The waning crescent moon disappears into a bundle of clouds, darkness swallowing their room.
Naruto- Age 12, Day 2
The first problem isn't seeing his old 12-13 year old jacket upon himself once more or even Sasuke and Sakura's annoyed gazes towards him at something he's apparently already done.
"Geez, wake up already Naruto! You're slowing us down!" Sakura complains.
Sasuke doesn't voice his annoyance, but the way his brows set tells him his thinking matches hers.
"He's slowly waking up now Sakura, we'll be back and ready on the road shortly." Kakashi assures her while letting Naruto straighten himself.
The sky above is tinged with blues, pink streaks on the horizon.
Morning again.
Naruto barely hears any of them, clicking his teeth.
The biggest problem out of everything right now is that he isn't in Konoha, too far to probably even get back there in a day's time.
Hinata is there he assumes and maybe Kabuto along with one his helpers too...
'I'm on an assignment, which one?!' His mind reels.
He used to ask Old Man Third for missions beyond the tedious D-rank assignments of finding lost cats or dogs, chores picking up groceries for old ladies who didn't even want his help in the first place.
"Ugh if I knew it was going to be getting Konoha's resident brat I would've picked up my own groceries."
"Oh great, the prankster? Ick, I hope you didn't pick out expired or moldy items."
And then to placate his complaining and constant interruption of his meetings, Old Man Third finally gave Team 7 a C-rank one...
Naruto's gaze turns towards Tazuna, his dark eyes narrowing.
"Kid, you going to get up already or what? I'm not paying any of you to sleep on the job!" He grunts.
Tazuna; the master bridge builder.
This is their Land of Waves escort mission, not yet become the mission to stop Gatō and his men.
-x-
Most of my favorite ideas for writing come when I should be sleeping or close to sleeping! Apologies this took a bit longer, though I hope this chapter was enjoyable and lighthearted with all the family moments compared to the darkness that will be next chapter back in the Land of Waves under Gato's reign.
Let me know your thoughts as always!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!