"Boruto, dinner is ready!"
Hearing his mother's voice, the blonde-haired kid lifted his head. His attention was previously devoted to the picture book in his hands. "Yeah, coming!"
The boy placed the book back on the bedside table. Rich teal eyes took a quick look around his room, making sure nothing was left out of place. Everything was as it should be, and the room looked tidy and cozy.
Satisfied, Boruto stood up, his small legs carrying him over to the door. He opened it, revealing a short and narrow hallway with a staircase leading to the first floor. The smell of grilled fish and miso soup wafted through the air.
As the boy made his way down the stairs, his ears picked up a conversation between his parents.
"Work has been hectic again today," his father said, sounding tired.
"You should take a few days off, Naruto," his mother replied, concern evident in her tone.
"You know I can't. The Hokage's job is never done."
Reaching the end of the staircase, Boruto turned the corner and entered the dining room. Seated at the head of the table was his father, Naruto Uzumaki, the Seventh Hokage.
His mother, leaned behind him, her arms draped around his shoulders. Her long blonde hair and bright teal blue eyes were almost identical to his own.
Kissing his father on the cheek, Ino smiled. "Well, at least you can still have dinner with us, right?"
Nervously Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, yeah, of course! Nothing would keep me away from my family!"
Ino shook her head. "I don't doubt that, dear. Especially after the last time you tried to miss out on one of our meals."
"R-Right..."
Boruto chuckled at the exchange, drawing his parents' attention to him.
"Oh, Boruto. I was just about to call you again," his mother said, stepping away from his father. His little sister Inoru was seated in her baby chair, her chubby cheeks full of mashed food.
"You better hurry, or your dad's going to finish everything off before you even get a chance to start!"
"Hey!" the Hokage exclaimed.
Boruto laughed, moving over to the table and taking a seat beside his father.
"How was your day, son?" the man asked, giving the boy a big grin.
"It was fun! We were training shuriken techniques at the Academy, and then we played Ninja Tag in the afternoon," Boruto explained, grabbing his chopsticks and getting to work on his meal.
"Did you now? Well, did you win?"
The boy pouted. "No, Sarada did. She's so annoying! I'll show her next time for sure."
"That's the spirit," his father praised, patting his head. "Never give up until you're completely beat."
"Right!"
Taking her seat across the table from them, Ino sighed. "Don't encourage him, Naruto. You don't want him to become too much of a troublemaker."
"Come on, being a troublemaker isn't always a bad thing. It's what makes a great ninja," he argued, smiling innocently.
"That may have been true for you, but that doesn't mean our son has to follow your example."
"Aww, what's that supposed to mean?"
Shaking her head, Ino took a bite from her food.
"Don't forget you married a troublemaker," he said, winking at her.
"Oh yes, your troublemaker status is what won me over," she quipped, rolling her eyes.
"Haha, you know, you look pretty beautiful when you're all annoyed like that," Naruto commented, earning a playful punch from the woman.
"You've always had a knack for saying the weirdest things, I swear."
Boruto sniggered, watching the banter unfold. He couldn't ask for a better family. Sure, he didn't see his father as often as he would like because of his busy Hokage duties. And his mother was a shop owner, which also kept her occupied. But when they all were together like this, nothing could separate them.
Glancing down, Naruto grabbed his chopsticks, lifting a piece of meat towards his mouth."Anyway, lets-"
Just as he was about to take a bite, he poofed away into nothing but smoke.
"Papa!?" Inoru cried out, having a clear view of the jutsu's smokey effects.
Sighing, Ino placed her chopsticks on her plate, frowning.
"Mom?" the boy inquired, confused.
Was that... Did his dad have one of his clones sitting with them?
Wiping the mess off Inoru's cheeks, Ino's gaze turned stern. "This is going to be one of those nights, huh? Whatever, don't worry, dear. Just finish your meal, and you can go get some rest."
"Is... is something wrong, Mom?" Boruto asked again.
"That depends," she told, a conflicted expression crossing her features. "Your dad has a lot of responsibility, but a promise is a promise. He needs to find a balance between his duty and us."
Scooting out of her seat, Ino approached Boruto and patted him on his head, ruffling his soft blonde hair. "Everything will be okay, honey. Your mom just has to remind your dad how family works."
She gave a half-hearted smile, before heading off to the phone in the kitchen.
Boruto tried to keep a smile of his own, but it was hard not to feel the sadness overtake him. Was this always the case for a Kage's family? Being left behind as their husband and father continued forward?
Was his dad simply being... well, a Kage and that was the reason he was so absent? Or was there a greater burden at play here?
Sure, Boruto hadn't experienced any real problems thus far in his life. His parents were financially stable, and they lived a modest, yet comfortable, lifestyle. Despite his father's absence, Boruto was well-loved by his parents.
He couldn't help but wonder why his old man worked so hard at keeping the village safe, and away from them. Didn't he miss spending time with him?
Dialing in the number she had memorized long ago, Ino turned to smile at her son, trying her best to ease the worries from his young mind. "Don't you worry, honey. Everything will be alright."
After a few moments, the line connected.
"Mom, you think you could swing by and watch the children for a bit?"
"You know you really should be home having dinner with your family. The kids, especially," Shikamaru scolded, closing his eyes and shaking his head in dismay.
The complaint caught the man's attention. Sitting by his office desk, surrounded by the darkness of night and the light of the city below his window, the Seventh Hokage ceased the movements of his pen against the document he was filling out.
"Shikamaru..." Naruto whispered.
"Look, I'm sure the reports can wait. Your health and family should be more important right now," the advisor went on. Opening his eyes, Shikamaru glanced down at the other, glaring at him through his short fringe.
Sighing, the Hokage let his gaze drift towards the clock mounted on the wall across him, the hands pointing to a quarter past seven o'clock.
It was true. His family was waiting for his return. Dinner should have started about twenty minutes ago. But a hearty shadow clone should suffice for an absence such as this. This work was time-sensitive and critical. One couldn't afford to waste their time waiting. Besides, if not now, he'd only have to work overtime later.
Just as long as Ino didn't find out...
"I understand, but these documents need to be finished by morning." Naruto spun in his chair to face his advisor, meeting his disapproving gaze. "I know how hard Ino tries. I do wish to spend more time with the family, but... Sometimes, sacrifices are necessary to ensure the safety of this Village. "
Naruto paused. His eyes settled on the large Hokage Hat, seated beside him. His brows furrowed in determination.
"But don't worry, old friend, once this is finished I will definitely take a break and spend some quality time with them," Naruto continued, sending his advisor a mischievous grin.
Sighing, Shikamaru brought up his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "You said that last month too, yet, here you are, a few days later, filling out reports by candlelight and sneaking some instant ramen you pilfered from the kitchens into your office for a midnight snack."
Turning his gaze back to the paperwork, Naruto tapped the pen to the side of his chin. "Well, as the Hokage you can't blame me for working extra hard, right?"
"I can when it gets Ino angry," Shikamaru countered, raising an eyebrow.
Naruto went silent. His expression was a mix of nervousness and fright.Ino was scary when she was angry.
"She'll find out," Shikamaru mumbled, shutting his eyes again as he crossed his arms.
"And I won't stop her. If that woman sets her mind on hunting you down, all your clones will be unable to escape. And if she can't, she'll drag me and Chõji into helping," Shikamaru stated. "Troublesome."
Noticing his Hokage's hesitant glances at the papers on his desk, Shikamaru sighed once again. "Seriously, go home Naruto. Take a few hours' break for yourself and Ino. Make your son proud of having the best father in the village. Even just this once would be great."
Guilt and embarrassment colored his features. He knew it was wrong to stay behind and finish his paperwork. He also knew Ino had a deal with him that dinner was always together and never late.
"Just one more report- Oh no.." Naruto muttered.
A string of memories from the now-dispelled shadow clone that had previously taken his place among the family resurfaced. They were mundane things like cleaning, feeding his daughter, and kissing his wife. But gaining these new memories meant his little ruse had been found out.
Looking back up at Shikamaru, who gave him a knowing glance, the Hokage placed a palm on the tabletop. "Ino's gonna kill me, isn't she?" he whimpered out loud.
Shrugging his shoulders, Shikamaru stared at him emotionless. "Well judging by the last time you pulled a stunt like this, and by what she said and promised... Yeah, I'd say she would."
Gulping, Naruto cursed inwardly, biting the inside of his cheek. "But-"
The sound of a door opening had both men quickly glance toward the entrance to the Hokage Office. There, dressed in a thick and long crimson sweater, stood Ino Yamanaka. Her arms were folded tightly over her chest. Blue eyes were blazing with a fury known only by very few. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, and a few stray strands framed her scowling face.
"Found you!"
"Ino... " Naruto muttered nervously.
"Don't 'Ino' me! I thought we had a deal?!" She inquired, closing the distance between herself and her husband. Eyeing her old teammate, she shot him a glare. "Shikamaru, out."
Not needing to be told twice, the advisor held his palms up in defense and swiftly backed out of the room. As soon as the door closed with a click, Ino spun to face the Hokage again.
"Dammit! I can explain! See, we-" Naruto started.
"What's there to explain, huh?" She interjected, reaching out and grabbing his ear, tugging it harshly. "Didn't you promise? So then what's your excuse this time, eh!?"
"Gahh- Ow, ow ow!" Naruto yelped.
"You seriously have zero shame!" Ino ranted.
"Ow, please Ino, why the ear?" he pleaded.
"I need to know I'm dealing with my actual husband, not one of your stupid clones!" Ino puffed, letting go of his ear.
Hopping back onto his feet, Naruto rubbed his sore ear. He scratched the back of his head, eyeing his irked spouse. "Ino-"
"This can't keep happening, you know. You're a father now, so act like it," she said, flicking his forehead.
Naruto flinched at her words. "I know," he replied, staring down at the ground and kicking the tip of his foot against the floor.
"Oh really? 'Cause if you did, then you wouldn't be pulling these stunts right now," Ino rebuked.
Sighing in defeat, the Hokage returned to his seat and slouched over the wooden desk. "But I wanted to finish these reports..."
"We made a deal, and I'm very pissed right now," she told, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder and gesturing to the exit. "I'm this close to banishing you to the couch for a week, Naruto," Ino snapped.
"But-"
"But nothing," she said, putting her finger to his lips, silencing him. "The truth of the matter is, you married me and had kids with me. If you thought I'd be some passive little housewife and turn the other cheek just like that, you got the wrong girl. No, honey, Ino Yamanaka is not a pushover. So either you make this up to us now or prepare for hell later, you hear?"
She let her words sink in, placing her hands firmly on her hips as she scowled, her annoyance on full display.
Groaning, the Uzumaki pulled the paperwork toward him. "I'm sorry. It's just so busy all the time. There's a mountain of things to take care of every day. Even if I finish a dozen tasks, twenty more are sure to appear in their place."
The annoyance left her features, and they softened up a little. Walking closer, she rested her elbows on top of his desk and looked down at him. "I know. But you still made a promise. We all do our best with what we have, and for most of us, that is our limited time. I understand your circumstances, and I sympathize. But I need you to step up. If not for me, do it for Boruto and Inoru."
Falling silent, Naruto eyed his beloved as her teal-blue orbs bore into his. Sighing heavily, he nodded. "I guess I got nothing I can argue about with that, huh?"
A smile spread across Ino's lips. "Nope! Besides, there's no time for moping or excuses. You're a Kage, you gotta act like a mature role model, not an angsty teenager."
He reached over, resting his warm hand against the cold one she placed on his desk. Their fingers intertwined as they shared a small and comforting embrace.
"Can you forgive me?" he inquired, a tiny grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Maybe," She mumbled, leaning closer toward her husband, lips brushing his. "If you don't pull any more dumb stunts like this, then, maybe, I'll consider it."
Grinning, he gently pressed his lips against hers, earning him a quiet hum from the woman.
After a long, savoring kiss, he let their lips part and grinned at the beautiful blonde. "How about this? From now on, my presence at dinner is non-optional."
"Your track record hasn't exactly done wonders for your credibility in this matter," she stated, pinching his cheek and stretching it a little.
Reaching up, he brushed her fringe aside with his fingers before giving her another, longer and sweeter kiss. When their lips broke apart, she whispered, "I love you, but seriously, don't screw up next time or you're banned from sleeping in the bedroom."
Naruto grimaced slightly. "Th-That would be torture, y'know," he confessed, dropping his head.
"And it will stay torture until you learn your lesson," she quipped. "Now, let's get moving. Dinner might have been missed, but you can still tuck them into bed and read Boruto his bedtime stories."
He sat up, putting his pen to the side as his workload was forgotten. Rising to his feet, he leaned down and brushed his lips across her cheek. "Yes, dear."
With a smile plastered on her features, the wife grabbed her husband's hand and tugged him along. "C'mon then, Can't have my mom watching the kids all night, now can we."
"Right," He replied, walking after her as his gaze drifted towards their interlocked hands, her grip on his tight and reassuring. "Love you."
He watched as the blonde beauty turned her head and glanced back at him, winking as she smiled sweetly.
"Love you too, ya' big goof."
