Ino had had enough.
No one, not even the Hokage, would tell her a thing about her MIA best friend. She was tired of running in circles and receiving no answers. She was now taking matters into her own hands.
She clamored up the steps of Naruto's apartment, pounding on the door with a chakra infused fist, determined to get to the bottom of her best friends disappearance. Unfortunately, with Naruto's Hokage training, he'd been near impossible to track down. It was suspicious. For someone's missing girlfriend, Naruto was awfully calm about the whole thing.
Hinata heard the knock on the doo and froze. She was under strict orders never to answer the door unless Naruto was home. Before the baby could wake and start crying, she quickly activated her Byakugan, recognizing Ino's chakra signature immediately.
Whether it was from the confinement or lack of adult conversations she couldn't be sure, but she wanted more than anything to open the door to her best friend.
Delusional, probably, Hinata walked towards the door.
When the door swung open, and there stood Hinata, looking exhausted but otherwise unharmed. She held a small bundle in her arms, and Ino's eyes widened in shock.
"Hinata?!" Ino gasped, her voice trembling with a mix of fury and relief. "Where have you been? We thought you died! We've all been worried sick! How could you?"
Hinata's eyes filled with tears, but she held her ground. "Ino, please, let me explain—"
Ino didn't let her finish. She pushed past Hinata into the apartment, her eyes scanning the room she'd helped remodel what seemed a lifetime ago. "Explain what? That you've been hiding out here this whole time? That you've had a baby without telling me, your very best and closest friend?"
Hinata closed the door softly, her hands shaking. "I didn't have a choice, Ino. With the war and everything... I had to keep him safe under strict orders from Naruto and the Hokage."
Ino whirled around to face her, eyes blazing. "Safe from what? From me? I could have helped you, Hinata! I could have been there for you!"
Tears streamed down Hinata's face as she looked down at the infant in her arms, whom, miraculously, was still asleep. "I know, Ino. I'm so sorry. We thought it would be safer if no one knew because Naruto's enemies are too powerful."
"Safer?" Ino echoed incredulously. "You didn't even trust me? Your best friend?"
Hinata's voice broke. "It wasn't about trust. It was about protecting Boruto. I didn't want to put you in danger, too. It, it's what the situation called for at the time."
Ino's heart clenched as she looked at the tiny face peeking out from the blankets. The baby was a perfect blend of Naruto and Hinata, with Naruto's bright blonde hair and whisker marks, but held Hinata's gentle facial features, and Ino's anger melted into a mix of love and sorrow.
"Hinata, I just can't believe you've made everyone worry sick. Do you know half of the Rookies think you died or were captured? That your own teammates are fraught with worry, so much so that Team 8 has been put on hiatus? I just, I just need some time. Because I can't forgive you right now."
Hinata stepped closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Ino. We never meant to hurt you or anyone else. It's just the nature of these...things. A Hyuga child is automatically a target for Kumo, and with the war, and all the unknowns, all we could do was hide away. Pray our enemies wouldn't use little Boruto and myself as leverage to distract Naruto from winning the war."
Ino sighed and uncrossed her arms. "I get it, I guess, but I'm still hurt. However, you look like death. While I may still be incredibly angry at you, you are my best friend. Let me help for a little while, alright? Take a shower. You stink."
Hinata smiled gratefully, setting Boruto down carefully in his bassinet, careful not to wake the sleeping baby. She knew that she'd have a lot more reckoning and explaining to do, especially from the Hokage and her own boyfriend, but she couldn't deny how good it felt to have someone back in her life.
Solitude was hell on earth after all.