The characters and the world of Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

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~ Single Chapter ~

Haiden's laughter resonated so loudly that Sakura woke up scared on the couch, not seeing her little son next to her she was frightened, she didn't even know when she fell asleep while watching over her son's sleep.

The childish laughter was heard nearby.

— Shhh, you're going to wake up your mother. — When Sakura heard Naruto's voice she calmed down. She was so sleepy when he came home from work that she didn't hear the moment he opened the front door of her small house, the pink-haired girl walked through the living room guided by the noises and found them in the two's room.

They were having fun, Naruto was tickling her belly and the blond, blue-eyed boy who was only one year old was laughing outrageously trying to protect himself with his little hands, Sakura was afraid that a lung would explode. — Hey Naruto, let him breathe, he's going to run out of air — She said sitting on the edge of the bed where father and son were playing. The Uzumaki had Haiden lying on his legs, face up with his head hanging down. Naruto momentarily stopped tickling the boy and saw that his partner had a worried expression.

— Calm down Sakura, I would never hurt our son, it's just a game. — Haiden caught his father's fingers and put them on his belly so he could continue tickling him — See? He likes it a lot.

— I know, but I'm worried that you're going overboard — She commented while observing her son's smile — Naruto, today the landlord came and they're going to kick us out of the house if we don't pay the rent today. — She informed him very worried.

They were a very young couple, when she got pregnant at seventeen her uncles had thrown her out of the house without any compassion accusing her of being ungrateful for wasting everything they had done for her, while Naruto, not having any family to reproach him for the "mistake" he had made, had to stop studying to start working and support them, however, he had convinced her that at least she should finish high school.

Shizune, their kind neighbor often did them the favor of taking care of the child while she was in class and he worked, being an older woman she knew how difficult life was, just as she knew how difficult it would be for them to get ahead without help and more so being just children who started adulthood at a very early age, and although it was not much what she did for them, she did it with pleasure.

— Don't worry my love, I talked to him so that he gives us time until Friday, that day they pay me my fortnight and I complete it with the extra work I have done these days. — He told her in an attempt to calm her down as he approached and gave her a sweet kiss.

They lived on a very small budget, Naruto worked all day at the subway station selling tickets to travelers, and made extra money helping to carry suitcases in his two hours of rest. Even so, they were always short of money, supporting themselves and having a baby was very expensive.

Haiden, seeing that his father no longer paid attention to him, started playing on the bed with some teddy bears, carrying them from one side to the other and making little sounds with his mouth.

Naruto looked at his wife who was still distressed, since, if they spent all of Naruto's salary on rent, then they wouldn't have enough for groceries and the baby's expenses.

— I'll solve it, as I always do, so don't worry.

— If I worked we would have more money. — She told him trying to convince him. — Naruto, you know what's best, we'd have a higher income and I'm sure we could pay Shizune-san to take care of Haiden, so we'd stop being so tight on money.

— First finish studying, that way you'll have more opportunities to get a good job Sakura, you're not missing much anymore, you're about to graduate and I guarantee that as soon as you finish high school we'll be much better off.

She knew that, she was weeks away from being able to graduate, after several seconds of silence Naruto spoke again.

— Do you regret it? — She asked him in a low voice.

— What? — She asked distractedly.

He looked at his son who was innocently playing with his teddy bears, oblivious to all the problems his parents had on top of them and Sakura understood what he meant, she shook her head — No, I would never regret it, it's the best thing that's happened to me, so no, I don't regret it, and you? Do you regret it?

— Never, it's what I love most in life, obviously along with you.

— I love you too, so as long as Haiden can keep laughing the same way he did a moment ago, it's worth going through all these stages Naruto.

He smiled relieved, it was true that they had done something crazy by having unprotected sex, but now he was taking charge of his responsibilities as a husband and father and he didn't regret anything.

— Yes, it's worth it, you know I never had a family, a home that gave me love, and even if you don't believe it Sakura, I'm really enjoying having this responsibility, don't worry so much, as soon as I get a better job I'll earn more money and we won't lack anything, I promise.

— You're absolutely right, we just have to keep trying hard and as soon as we realize it we'll be remembering this in a few years together with our children — She answered, recovering her spirits.

— Children? — She knew how much he wanted to have a large family and he loved that she had his dreams in mind for the future.

— Sure, but that will be in the distant future, for the moment we have enough with Haiden — She saw him laugh and knew that was where he wanted to be for the rest of his life. Her uncles had told her that if she left the baby with Naruto, she could return to them and resume her life full of comforts.

But now that she had Haiden, he was her reason for living, she couldn't imagine her life without him. Leaving Naruto was not something she had ever considered, not just any seventeen-year-old, party-loving, crazy boy would leave everything to work for her and a child, he was a man like few others and she loved him like that.

~ End ~