Flashback
Tuesday
12:30 AM
He slammed the door behind him, causing glass to shatter inside. Did she throw something at the door, or did he slam it so hard that it broke something?
A tiny part of him wanted to turn back around, get on his hands and knees, and beg for forgiveness. But he was so pissed that he wanted to punch a hole in the wall with his Rasengan. Things between him and Hinata had been going great for the past three months. He had been patient, waiting to hear her say, "I forgive you, Naruto-kun," but it never came. Not the next day, not the week after, and not even after four more weeks.
That's when he started to notice her eyes. Her lavender eyes used to always shine with love, support, loyalty, need, want, and desire. It didn't matter if she was upset with him or sad, those emotions always shined bright. But lately, they had shifted into something he had never seen before.
Distant.
Her face was skilled at masking it, but the eyes never lie. Had he not been skilled in reading people, he wouldn't have noticed. He couldn't understand why it was happening. There were a few questions that popped into his mind as to why that look was in her eyes.
Could she be having an affair? If she were, who was it with? The first man he would have suspected was Gaara, as much as he hated to admit it. It was on his wedding day when he first caught the redhead eyeing his wife, his eyes lingering a bit too long on her lips whenever she spoke. Or the time when they visited Suna, and Gaara's eyes lit up when Hinata gushed over his garden, and they started geeking out together about flowers and spent the majority of their trip talking about plants.
Naruto hadn't thought much about it again until two months ago. Gaara had sent a letter inviting his family to Suna for an annual banquet as his personal guests. The rational part of his brain yelled at him for being an idiot to believe something like that. Gaara and Hinata were simply friends, if even that. It wasn't like they had a close relationship like he had with the Kazekage. But then those lingering looks he remembered pulled him away from any logic. His wife was in-fact a beautiful woman and he has seen the way many men would look at her when they thought he wasn't looking.
Or maybe she was falling out of love with him? It was true that he hadn't been the man she used to love. It would make sense. He hadn't been home consistently in years. Hinata had every right to feel fed up with his behavior. There had been so many important dates he had missed because he decided to stay in the office working rather than being with his family.
He had started denying sex, and it probably made her feel unwanted and unloved. Hinata had spent practically her entire life loving and supporting him. Sex was an important aspect of their relationship to him. He always felt it the moment he lost his virginity to Hinata. He felt connected to her in a way he never had before. Yes, he loved her outside of sexual activities.
After all, he would bring the stars in the sky to her. He would collect every raindrop that fell just to create a never-ending rainbow of her favorite colors, just to put a smile on her face. He would climb the highest mountain or the tallest tree in the world, just to carve their names into it, promising that their love would reach the sky and touch the heavens. Everyone would know that his love for Hinata was true and pure.
He would do all of that and more if he could, but when sex was involved, it made it all the better. He was in love with one of the most beautiful women in all five nations, and not only that, he was the only one who knew her through and through. He knew all fifty of her shades like no one else did. He got to become one with her and loved every moment of it. He knew that she felt the same way.
But lately, he had neglected her, and he feared that she might be slipping away. He had been so focused on his duties as Hokage that he had forgotten the most important duty of all: being there for his family. He had to find a way to make things right before it was too late.
So it's possible that denying her the intimacy of making love could be soul-crushing for her. Maybe it became a tumbleweed of emotions from there on out, and that's when she started to fall out of love.
Or maybe her family was growing tired of him? Maybe even ashamed. After all, he had embarrassed her enough times by not showing up by her side for family dinners. He could see his father-in-law, sister-in-law, and even Ko hiding their true feelings of disdain for him.
He shivered at the thought of his father-in-law hating him.
Or maybe Kiba got into her ears about something? He hated to admit it, but he felt somewhat happy not to see Kiba's face around her so much after they got married. Shino was alright, just a bit creepy, but with Kiba, it was different. Kiba didn't like him growing up, and he begrudgingly liked him when he started dating Hinata. Naruto tolerated Kiba just about the same. Awkwardly enough, he was jealous of how close Kiba was to Hinata. Even as kids, the wild Inuzuka always pushed himself onto Hinata in front of everyone, almost as if he were boasting about his friendship with her, always talking about how Hinata always agreed with him and how well he knew her. When they were teenagers, Naruto was almost positive Kiba and Hinata were secretly dating.
Hinata always spoke of how Kiba and Shino were like her brothers, but Naruto always felt the true title of brother belonged to Kiba. Shino was there, almost like a hovering fly at times if you asked him, and still a best friend to both of them, but it was clear that he didn't have the same bond with Hinata as Kiba had.
When they got married, Kiba finally stopped coming around as much, and Naruto had never felt so grateful. Never did he have to hear Kiba talking down on his parenting skills in front of Hinata. Never again would he have to come home to see Kiba and Hinata sitting on the couch gossiping about who knows what after a long day of work. It annoyed him to see them still as close as they were as teenagers. He hated the attention Kiba got from his wife. Though logic would reel him back and remind him that Kiba viewed Hinata as his sister, and his wife felt the same sentiments. In fact, he was positive their friendship was similar to his with Sasuke. Kiba wasn't in love with his wife.
Sometimes his jealous and over-imaginative thoughts got the best of him, more times than he'd like to admit.
Naruto knew Kiba probably caught on to Hinata's true feelings sooner than he did, much sooner. She probably confided in him ages ago and he was likely putting thoughts into her head.
There were so many thoughts, but whatever the reason was for her distant eyes, he mostly felt that his wife was simply falling out of love with him.
Naruto continued down the street with fury raging in his chest as he made the decision to head straight to Shushu-ya for a drink. When he arrived, he tried to use his wife's skills and put on the happiest face he could muster. He felt silly doing so, and it took most of his energy and probably looked awkward, but it managed to put a smile on the faces of a few of the customers when they noticed him.
He took a seat in the far corner of the bar and asked for a shot. A few men sitting off to the side cheered to him, while a group of young women in their early twenties shyly waved at him.
Naruto scratched behind his neck, blushing at the attention as he nodded his head their way. The men acted as if they weren't the least bit starstruck, nodding in return but turning back amongst themselves, grinning to each other like schoolboys. While the young women blushed and giggled.
It felt odd at times receiving the attention. He was so used to being an outcast growing up that it took some getting used to, especially after the war. He started to understand why Sasuke disliked his fangirls. He was grateful, but those girls wouldn't have paid him any attention had he not been considered a war hero. It wasn't real love for them. It was just a chance to be noticed by someone "famous" to them.
Yet, the attention did warm his heart in a way.
Once his shot was placed in front of him, all thoughts of his fan club disappeared, and his mind went back to what had taken place moments ago. He downed the shot in less than a second, ordering another and another after that. The shots kept coming. The next thing he realized, he was twelve shots in.
"Whoa, I think you might want to slow it down there. Wouldn't you think, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto blinked, one eye at a time, and turned to his left to see that the only empty spot in the corner was now occupied by Shizuka.
"Shi…-hic-...zuka!" he hiccuped, watching as she leaned forward, with her elbows on the bar counter, resting her left cheek against the back of her clasped hands.
"Just hanging out with some friends." She pointed behind her to a table up front with three other women. "I thought to myself, 'Is that my dear old friend, Naruto Uzumaki? Sitting there looking mad at the world all by himself.' That's when I decided to come over here to check in on you." She smiled.
Naruto furrowed his brows. "Yeah, it's me," he slurred, trying to push down his anger at his wife. "Shouldn't you be hangin' out with your friends 'stead of sittin' here with me?"
"I'm where I want to be right now. A friend of mine is looking sad and I want to see how he's doing." She pushed her shoulder against his. "So, what's wrong? Trouble at home?"
Naruto tensed, but quickly gathered himself. "Just work, ya know. It's a lot of it," he muttered, raising his hand for another shot. He nudged his shoulder back, smirking down at her, not wanting to talk about his personal troubles.
"Naruto-kun, you know…" Shizuka bit down on her bottom lip, fluttering her long eyelashes up at him. "...if you ever need someone to chat with, I'm always here for you." The corners of her lips lifted into a shy smile as she blushed.
The blonde looked down at her. His eyes briefly wandered lower to her low-cut shirt that displayed a healthy amount of cleavage, then even lower to assess her curves through the form-fitted white shirt she was wearing. As his eyes traveled back up, he caught the lustful look in her eyes before she shifted her gaze to the side when his gaze met hers. He leaned back in his chair, smirking to himself as he turned to face Shizuka.
The anger he felt for his wife subsided, jolting him into a feeling he couldn't quite understand.
"You must like me, huh?" he slurred.
Shizuka blushed, combing her hair behind her ear. "Wha-What are you saying?"
Naruto leaned forward, motioning for her to lean in, and as she did, he leaned in closer and placed his lips near the rim of her ear. "Let's go somewhere more private and chat."
She immediately leaned back, her entire face red as she nodded. He slowly stood up, motioning for one more shot as Shizuka told him she'd wait for him by the door. He watched as she ran towards her friends, trying to hide her little excited jumps as she clasped hands with one of her friends.
Once the shot was placed in front of him, Naruto eyed the woman as he drank it all in one go and set the glass down. Paying for the drinks, he walked out of the bar with his hands stuffed into his pockets, not bothering to wait for Shizuka. Walking down the street, he turned into a crowdless, darkened alley, waited a few moments until he felt the black-haired woman's chakra, then pulled her into the alley and tossed her against the wall.
He looked down at her, noticing the flutter of her eyelashes again as he raised his left hand to the wall beside her.
"Na-Naruto-kun…I know somewhere w-we can go," she whispered, folding her arms under her chest, pushing her breasts together to showcase more of her cleavage to him. "Or we can just do it…here."
Naruto stared down at her, that anger bubbling back up alongside the unfamiliar feeling.
"Do you think your tits are enough to make me cheat on my beautiful wife?" He noticed the way her eyes widened in shock and confusion. Seeing that…pleased him. Away from any prying ears, he could unleash what he held back on while in the bar.
"There is no woman on this earth that would ever make me question the love I have for my wife. Even in my drunken state. My wife is not only gorgeous, but she has the heart of an angel, the body of a goddess, the sex drive of a lion, and she is one of the strongest women I know."
Shizuka flinched, and then tears started to well in her eyes, but he didn't care. This was all her fault to begin with. She's the real reason why Hinata won't forgive him!
Naruto growled, his voice low and menacing. "You and your petty games mean nothing to me."
"You have a lot of nerve to even think that I would betray my wife, hurt my children, and tarnish my name as the Hokage of this village." He leaned down, placing his lips against the rim of her ear once again and whispered, "I won't have you cause any drama between me and my family. Stay away from me."
He leaned away from her, hands back in his pockets as he headed back out to the main road.
"By the way, my wife has a much hotter body than yours," he said over his shoulder, loud enough for only her to hear.
As he left the area, a pain not only in his head but in his chest hit him. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed with a wave of regret and panic. He had really fucked things up with Hinata. If she was already looking at him the way she had been, there was no doubt she could definitely grow to hate him. Couldn't she? That possibility was there. He wouldn't be surprised in the least if she hated him. There was no way he could face her after all of that. He might as well go to sleep at the Hokage Tower for a few nights, at least until the dust settles.
Shit.
Why did he have to be such an idiot?
End of flashback
Wednesday
Naruto looked at himself in the mirror. After his training session with Sasuke yesterday, he felt like his face had been dipped into molten lava. Sasuke really did a number on him. The bruising was getting better thanks to his healing abilities, but the memory of that pain was still there. It left an impression on him.
He turned his face to a side angle, eyeing the light stubble under his chin. His mind briefly went back to Shizuka. Just thinking about it made his nerves prickle. He couldn't believe how cruel he had been towards her, but he meant every word. No matter how much his wife pissed him off or even if she hated him to her very core, he would never betray his love for Hinata. He would love her until his last day.
He still needed to apologize to Shizuka. She didn't deserve that, especially since he was drunk off his rocker at the time. But he wasn't ready to face her anytime soon. Honestly, he didn't want to face anyone, but work was keeping him busy.
Shikamaru had tried to get him to open up, but it wasn't going to happen. No one would know about this fight. He would get all the blame for sure. It would be deserved, but he wasn't ready for it.
Naruto appreciated Shikamaru's attempts.
He thought about the invitation from Gaara. The banquet was in five months. It had been years since he and Hinata went together; maybe this one could be their comeback.
"Hokage-sama!"
Naruto's shoulders slumped as he heard the voice coming from his office down the hall. He wasn't ready to face people again. It felt like he had just gotten on his break not even a minute ago. Unable to sign another document or read another new law proposal, Naruto created a clone, sending him into the office in his place. He climbed out of the window in the bathroom and made his way to the Hokage Monument to think about the past twenty-four hours.
XXXXX
Hinata stretched as she walked into the living room, her head feeling like it had been hit with a bag of rocks. Rubbing her head, she saw Himawari sitting on the floor watching cartoons. She noticed Sasuke in the kitchen, standing in front of the counter.
"Mom, your hair looks funny." Himawari pointed to her own head, trying to hold back a laugh. "Uncle Sasuke, come look at my mom's hair!"
Hinata blushed, trying to smooth out her hair. She had forgotten Sasuke had been staying with them. As she was attempting to tame her bedhead, Sasuke came into the living room with a coffee mug in hand. Leaning against the wall, he eyed her hair with a smirk on his face.
"Very suiting," he teased.
Hinata frowned, causing her daughter to break out into a fit of giggles. "That's not very funny, Hima-chan."
Himawari turned her attention back to the television, still trying to stifle her laughter. Hinata shook her head and decided to sit down on the couch, resting her head in the palm of her hand as she leaned against the armrest. Sasuke came and sat down next to her.
"How are you holding up?" he asked quietly, glancing at Himawari to make sure she was still focused on the TV.
Hinata nodded. "I'm glad I didn't go overboard with the girls."
"Sure seemed like you did." He smirked.
Hinata eyed him, shaking her head. "Trust me, I didn't. You would know if I did…" She blushed. "Well, maybe not you, but if Naruto-kun were here, he'd definitely know…"
She noticed the confused look on his face but didn't dare explain what she meant. "Thank you again…for last night. You have so much going on in your own life. I don't want to add any more stress to it."
"Shut up," Sasuke said, his tone gentle but firm.
Her eyes widened at his words.
"You worry too much. Sometimes it's irritating," he frowned, but his eyes softened ever so slightly as he continued, "...but you haven't and aren't adding any stress to my life. If you were, you'd know it. I wouldn't hide it."
Hinata nodded, trying not to focus on the way her heart skipped a beat at the way he looked at her. Although he wasn't smiling, the sincerity in his voice made her melt a bit, and she couldn't quite understand why.
"I know." She mumbled back.
They spent the next couple of minutes in silence, with only the television in the background. Eventually, Himawari said she was going to meet up with a few friends and excused herself, leaving Hinata alone with Sasuke. Sasuke kept quiet until he finished his coffee and let out a loud sigh.
"I'm going to head back home soon to start picking up a few of my things. I'm not quite sure if I'm ready to face Sakura again," he admitted.
"Wh-Why?"
He shrugged. "I don't know what will happen. She could want to talk about getting back together. I might slip up, and we'll sleep together, or we might argue again."
It was said so bluntly that it caught her off guard. She felt slightly embarrassed hearing the second possibility. Sasuke still didn't seem like the affectionate type, but it was painfully obvious that wasn't the case. Each time, she was reminded that the man shared a daughter with Sakura. It was still strange to think about.
"Do you think that maybe the two of you should get back together?"
Sasuke snorted. "No. It wouldn't work out. She'd get jealous over someone again and it'd start another argument. I don't want to hate the mother of my child, because that's exactly what would have happened if I stayed. That doesn't mean I don't worry about other things happening."
Hinata blushed, embarrassed. She couldn't blame him. Sakura was a beautiful woman, and even her own husband had been in love with her when they were younger. There were many times she felt like a second choice when it came to Naruto. Sakura, along with the rest of the girls—Ino, Tenten, Tamaki, Temari, and Karui—all had the body of a model. Even Shizuka had a nice body shape. Hinata was a bit curvier and had developed at a much earlier age. It made her feel self-conscious, especially since her chest was slightly bigger than the average woman. She was convinced men loved women with bodies like theirs, but her husband always tried to tell her it was quite the opposite. Bless his heart for trying to make her feel better.
All of a sudden, she felt a wave of sadness and envy.
"Anyway," Sasuke's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, "what do you have planned for the rest of the day?"
She was glad he didn't mention how Naruto wasn't there. She was already feeling like crap; she didn't want to feel another gut punch. It would remind her of Shizuka all over again.
"S-Sleep off my hangover." She smiled, sheepishly. "What about you, Sasuke?"
He smiled when she didn't add the honorific, and that made her feel quite pleased with herself for not reverting backward if it meant seeing that again.
"I'm going to see if Naruto can find some C-ranked mission for me to do. I'm starting to get antsy the closer I get to Sunday. It'll technically be my first house since returning to Konoha. That home Sakura has was gifted to her parents as a birthday gift shortly after I left Konoha to travel the first time. Knowing that I'm going to be alone again living here…makes me feel anxious."
The more she got to know Sasuke, the more she got to see different layers of him. She felt like she was in his inner circle, and it felt warm to be inside. She turned her body to face him, crossing both of her legs on the couch in front of her.
"You won't be alone, Sasuke. You have Kakashi-sensei and Naruto-kun. You also have Suigetsu and Juugo." She reached forward and placed both of her hands on his shoulders, smiling. "You a-also have me. Whenever you want to hang out, please let me know. We can train again."
He stared at her, his expression unreadable until he broke out into the cutest boyish grin she'd ever seen on his face. It sent a shiver up her spine as she watched him in surprise.
"You're really funny sometimes, Uzumaki-sama," he said teasingly. Standing, he reached over and ruffled her hair with his free hand and started to head back into the kitchen. "I'll remember to keep that in mind whenever I'm feeling lonely," he shouted over his shoulder.
She heard him washing his cup, despite her telling him not to worry about it. As he was walking to the front door, he spoke again.
"I'll see you a bit later tonight. I'll be in later than usual, and if the idiot still isn't back, I'll drag his ass back here for you," he said before closing the front door gently behind him.
Hinata smiled to herself, feeling a sense of warmth and support. She knew Sasuke would keep his promise, and she felt grateful for his presence in her life. It was comforting to know that she had a friend who understood her and would be there for her, no matter what.
XXXXX
Hokage Office
Sasuke looked over at Naruto as he came into the office. Just from looking at him, he could tell he wasn't the real Naruto, and knowing that left a sour taste in his mouth, but he wasn't going to comment on it.
"Idiot," Sasuke greeted.
Naruto waved him off, closing the door behind him. "You really beat my ass yesterday, ya know?"
"Is that why you didn't come home last night?" Sasuke bit his tongue to prevent himself from saying anything extra, though he wouldn't mind kicking his ass again for Hinata's sake.
Naruto flinched. "Things got really busy with work yesterday. All this paperwork has been such a drag. I sound like Shikamaru…" he muttered, walking around him and toward his desk. "What brings you in?"
"Do you have any C-ranked missions?"
Naruto raised his eyebrow. "Missions? You're ready to start them back up again?"
"I need to preoccupy my mind."
Sasuke watched Naruto sift through a stack of papers on his desk, then move to the drawers until he pulled out a folder filled with documents. Tossing it on the desk, he gestured to the cream-colored folder.
"Normally I'd be the one choosing, but I'll let you have your pick. Better me than my face, huh?" Naruto chuckled.
Sasuke remained silent as he walked toward the desk, looking through various missions.
"Have you talked to Sakura-chan since you left?"
Sasuke glanced up from the folder, a tad irritated with his friend. "No."
"She came by my office the day after you came to stay with us. She kinda annoyed me, but I know she's only hurting. Sakura-chan has loved you for so long. This divorce is probably…"
"Naruto, I don't really want to talk about Sakura or the divorce. I'll see her Saturday when I go pick up my things." He pulled out a mission that caught his attention and held out the paper. "I'll take this one."
The mission was a simple one, involving escorting a merchant to a neighboring village. It was straightforward and just what Sasuke needed to keep his mind occupied.
Naruto signed it and provided him with the directions and how long it would take. Sasuke was itching to leave the office feeling a bit frustrated with how much his friend was rubbing him in the wrong way. He couldn't get over the things Hinata told him. How could Naruto be such a blind idiot? The man was going to ruin his marriage if he kept things the way it was going.
"Thanks." Was all Sasuke said as he headed towards the door.
"Oi!"
Sasuke paused, his hand on the door handle.
"How is everything at home? Is Hinata and the kids alright?"
The raven haired male looked over his shoulder, glaring. "Why don't you go home and see for yourself."
With that, the Uchiha left the office. If he didn't leave at that moment, he may have said something he promised Hinata that he wouldn't. For Naruto's sake he sure hoped the blonde would return back home or else he would track him down.
XXXXX
Ichiraku Ramen
Sakura sat in Ichiraku Ramen, absentmindly stirring her bowl of noodles. Her thoughts were consumed by Sasuke. She missed him so much it hurt, and the thought of him being apart from her and Sarada again was a pain she couldn't quite comprehend.
She glanced at the empty seat beside her and sighed.
Just then, she heard commotion behind her. "Sorry for the delay, Sakura-chan," Hinata said, looking flustered. "I forgot we planned to meet up."
Sakura smiled, waving off the apology. "No worries. Bad hangover?"
Hinata blushed, nodding. "Yes, a bit."
Sakura chuckled. "I'm sorry for pressuring you to drink."
"It's okay. It was needed, and I enjoyed myself. We should definitely do it again."
"I agree."
Sakura waited until Hinata ordered her bowl. Silence filled them for a few seconds until Sakura hesitated, then asked, "How's Sasuke-kun?"
Hinata shifted in her seat, looking mildly uncomfortable and the pink haired nurse immediately regretted the question. "You don't have to answer if you don't want," she quickly added.
Hinata took a moment before responding. "He's holding up," she said, but Sakura sense there was more she wasn't saying.
"I miss him so much, Hinata…" she admitted. "I'm almost sure I can convince him to get back together if we just spend a little time alone. I know he loves me. Maybe we just needed a break."
There was a lingering silence between them. Hinata was looking at her with those sad eyes and it made her heart drop. She was probably making the Hyuuga feel awkward with her delusions. She knew it wasn't true. Sasuke did care about her. There was no doubt at that, but she could tell her was done being in a romantic relationship with her. She'd rather delude herself into think there was still a chance to get through the pain.
"I'm s-sure things will work itself out." She heard Hinata say.
She smiled, sadly. The woman was just too sweet for her own good. Silently thanking her for her optimistic words, Sakura slurped up some noodles thinking about her past with Sasuke.
"You know, when Sasuke-kun and I were traveling together, it was different. He was different. I remember this one time when we were in a small village near the Land of Water. It was raining so hard and we had to take shelter in this old, rundown inn."
"The innkeeper was this sweet woman and she made us the best soup I've ever had. Sasuke-kun was surprisingly chatty with her. I think he might of been comfortable because she reminded him of his mother. He even helped her with some repairs around the inn." She smiled at the memory.
Hinata smiled as well. "That was very kind of him."
Sakura nodded. "It was. There was this other time, near the Land of Wind. We were camping in the desert and it was super cold! Sasuke-kun being Sasuke, insisted we didn't need to find a village and that we could manage on our own. He was always so stubborn."
"Sounds like him." Hinata giggled.
"Yeah," the pink haired woman agreed. "We ended up huddling together for warmth. It was the first time I felt truly close to him. He shared his fears about our future and his regrets about the past…It was a side of him that I hadn't seen before. Vulnerable. The man always had his walls up, even during our marriage, but it was that moment…" she paused looking down at her hands, "...what made me fall in love with him all over. Seeing him not just as the strong, silent warrior, but as a person with hopes and fears."
Sakura continued. "I remember the first time we…you know…" She blushed even harder at noticing Hinata's blush at what she was getting ready to say. "He was so shy, it was almost adorable. He'd blush and look away, but once he let his guard down, he was so passionate. I could feel how much he cared, even if he didn't say it out loud."
"During our travels, he'd do these small things that showed he cared. Like once, when I was feeling down, he found a rare flower in the forest and gave it to me. He didn't say anything, just handed it over and walked away. But it meant the world to me. He's such a shy romantic." She sighed dreamily.
Hinata smiled warmly. "It sounds like you two shared a lot of special moments."
Sakura nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "We did. And that's why it's so hard to accept that it's over. I keep telling myself that maybe we just need time apart, but..."
Sakura sighed, forcing a smile. "But for now, I'll hold on to those memories and hope for the best."
Hinata squeezed her hand again. "Whatever happens, Sakura-chan, you're strong, and you'll get through this."
"I really appreciate it, Hinata. Enough about me. How are you? Did you ever tell Naruto that woman approached you?" Sakura asked changing the conversation.
Hinata shook her head. "No. Naruto-kun and I…well, we got into a little fight and he hasn't been home."
"Are you serious?" Sakura gaped, watching as the blue haired woman nod. "That idiot! I'll go straighten him out if you need me to. I'm sure whatever happened it was his fault."
Hinata smiled. "Thank you, Sakura-chan, but this is my fault…trust me."
Sakura didn't know Hinata too well, but well enough to know that the shorter woman was kind, shy and put way too much on her shoulders than needed. Naruto's loud boisterous personality was a stark contrast to hers, but they found their way to each other. She had been happy when Naruto finally started to pay attention to her, even if she had to play wingman for a bit, but those within the inner circle knew that Naruto wasn't the greatest husband or father after he got fully acclimated into his position as the Hokage. No one said anything, but Sakura knew everyone felt sorry for Hinata and the kids. It was only she and Kiba were bold enough to say something to Naruto about it.
Hinata always looked happy. Not once had she notice the anger or loneliness towards Naruto. She looked at Naruto just the same as she always had. With love and admiration. But the way Hinata looked when Shizuka approached them yesterday, Sakura saw a flash of anger those Hyuuga eyes. The look was so quick, a person would blink and miss it. The first person she had thought to look to was Kiba. She wanted to know if she caught the same look and it seemed that it did.
Whatever the reason behind it, Sakura knew that woman managed to somehow piss off one of the most kindest person alive and that only meant trouble.
Once Ino said who she was, Sakura knew then that there had been trouble within the Uzumaki marriage and Hinata was very good at hiding things.
Sakura took a deep breath and reached out to touch Hinata's hand gently. "Hinata, you don't have to shoulder everything on your own. If Naruto's being a jerk, you need to let him know. And we're all here for you, okay?"
Hinata's eyes softened, and she nodded. "Thank you, Sakura-chan. It's just… complicated."
"I get it," Sakura said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "But don't ever think you're alone in this."
Hinata gave her a small, grateful smile. "I appreciate that."
They continued eating in a comfortable silence for a while, both lost in their thoughts. Sakura couldn't shake the feeling of concern for her friend. Hinata had always been the pillar of strength, the one who kept everything together with her quiet resolve. When she saw her in that vulnerable state it made Sakura even more determined to support her.
"Sakura-chan," Hinata said suddenly. "I think I need to talk to Naruto, really talk to him. But I'm afraid of what might happen."
Sakura nodded, understanding the fear of confronting such deep issues. "I think you should. It's scary, but it's the only way to move forward. And remember, no matter what, you have people who care about you."
Hinata smiled again, this time a bit stronger. "Thank you. I'll try."
Talking to Hinata made Sakura realize that maybe trying to convince Sasuke to work on things just might work. If Hinata, with all her quiet strength, could face her issues with Naruto, then maybe Sakura could do the same with Sasuke.
"We should do another drinking night. It'll be fun to see you hanging with us ladies for our next ladies' night." Sakura winked.
Ino, Temari, Karui, TenTen, and Tamaki usually got together once every few months. Hinata was the one that never showed. Then again, no one really invited her aside from Tamaki that one time. Everyone automatically assumed going out drinking wouldn't have been her thing. How stupid had they all been?
Sakura wanted to start inviting Hinata. She really liked her and wanted to become better friends with her.
"I'd like to come someday." Hinata smiled, a red tint to her cheeks.
Sakura grinned. "Our next one is in two months. You should come."
"Sure! Th-Thank you for inviting me, Sakura-chan."
"Anytime, Hinata!"
XXXXX
11:00 PM
Hinata stared up at her living room ceiling. The only light entering the room was from the moon outside. Naruto still hadn't come home. She had been an anxious mess after her lunch with Sakura, so when she came home, she asked her children to go visit their grandfather and Hanabi for the night. She couldn't let her kids see her in her current state.
When she heard the door open, her heart beat faster. She quickly sat up and rushed to the front.
"Naruto-kun…!"
Instead of blonde hair, it was black. Sasuke stared at her with one eyebrow raised as he came in, shutting the door behind him.
"Oh…Sasuke," she said, disappointed.
"I take it the idiot isn't home yet?"
She bit her bottom lip, looking away from him.
Sasuke sucked his teeth and turned back around, getting ready to leave. Hinata quickly reached out and grabbed his arm, remembering his words from earlier. "Don't. Just keep me company instead."
She almost wanted to let Sasuke do what she wanted. Half of her wanted to go with him to confront Naruto, but the last thing she wanted was for Sasuke to insert himself into their marriage problems, especially on her behalf. She could only imagine the thoughts that would go through Naruto's mind. Her husband had a jealous side. One that surprisingly caught her off guard.
There was the time she had been in the middle of a conversation with Gaara during her wedding ceremony. Naruto whisked her away, cutting their conversation short, almost as if something urgent had happened, and once they were alone, he whispered told her that he didn't like the way Gaara had been "eyeing" her all night, which almost led to their first argument. There was no way Gaara had been looking at her in the way her husband had described. It was silly and she rightly told him, but instead, the argument turned into passionate sex in the bathroom of the reception hall.
Shaking her head to rid herself of the thoughts, Hinata focused on Sasuke. He looked reluctant to move, so she pushed.
"Please don't. It'll only make things worse."
Luckily, those words seemed to have pulled him back as he stepped inside, closing the door once again. He glanced behind her as he slipped off his shoes.
"Were you just sitting in the dark back there?" He nudged his head toward the living room.
"Maybe." She sighed, turning around and walked back into the living room to sit on the couch. "Did you get any missions?"
"Yeah. Just escorting this merchant into the next town over. The man was annoying like Naruto and talked the entire way there. It didn't even matter that I barely said a word. He probably liked the sound of his own voice or something," Sasuke voiced as he took a seat beside her. "Have you been sleeping the entire day?" he teased.
She blushed. "No! I went to have lunch with Sakura-chan."
Hinata almost felt awkward telling him. Compared to Sakura, Hinata now knew that Sasuke wasn't hurting as much and was probably more concerned about living alone again in Konoha than the actual marriage ending, despite loving the pink-haired woman. There was no way she would tell Sakura that. Sasuke trusted her enough to open up to her, and she wouldn't betray that trust. Besides, she considered Sasuke more of a friend to her than Sakura.
"It was nice spending time with her," she hesitantly continued after noticing Sasuke looking at her to continue. "She invited me to an upcoming girls' night."
Sasuke leaned back on the couch, smirking. "I sure hope drinking won't be involved. It doesn't seem like you can hold yours very well."
Hinata pouted. "I'd have you know that I can! It… It's just that was a very off night for me. Either way, I'm quite looking forward to it. I've never been as close to the other women as I'd like to be. I was always home with the kids. Tamaki and TenTen are the closest I've gotten to… but even then, I didn't see them as much."
She felt like a hermit at times. There could have been so many opportunities to distract herself from her marriage problems, but instead, she stayed home and drowned herself in them.
"I'm sure they will be happy to have you," he said.
Sasuke rested his head against the backrest of the couch in that uncharacteristic manner again, which in turn made her heart skip a beat. Shaking that odd sensation away, Hinata scooted into the couch, her knee brushing against his leg as she pulled her legs up to her chest, hiding her face.
"What if he never comes back? What if he is silently divorcing me?" At the sound of Sasuke sucking his teeth, she lifted her head. He was no longer slouched down into the chair, but sitting up and glaring down at her.
She flinched. "What?"
"Stop blaming yourself. You didn't do shit wrong. In fact, it pisses me off that he would say something so stupid to you." He frowned. "You have every right to take as much time as you need to forgive him."
Hinata looked up at him, her eyes wide. "But what if—"
"No 'what ifs,'" Sasuke interrupted firmly. "Naruto needs to understand that actions have consequences. You're not a doormat for him to walk over. You're strong, and you deserve to be treated with respect."
She was so taken aback by his words that she was rendered speechless, but it reminded her why Sasuke had become her best friend. His blunt honesty and unwavering support were exactly what she needed in that moment.
"Thank you, Sasuke. Sometimes it's hard to remember that."
He nodded, his expression softened slightly. "I guess I'm going to keep reminding you." He nudged his head towards the television. "Wanna put on a movie?"
Hinata's face brightened. "Sure!" She grabbed the remote and started flipping through the channels until she found an action movie. "How about this one?"
Sasuke shrugged. "Works for me."
They settled into the couch, and Hinata pressed play. The room filled with the sounds of explosions and intense music, providing a distraction from her worries. Hinata found herself getting drawn into the movie, grateful for the brief escape, not even realizing how close they were sitting until she felt Sasuke's head drop down onto her shoulder.
Startled, she turned her head slightly and called out softly, "Sasuke?"
There was no response. She could tell he had fallen asleep. Hinata felt a rush of heat on her face and embarrassment, but she tried not to move, not wanting to disturb his sleep. She figured he must be exhausted from his mission.
As the movie continued to play, Hinata found herself thinking about how comfortable Sasuke was around her. He had allowed himself to fall into his most vulnerable state, and it meant a lot to her.
"Thank you, Sasuke, for trusting me... and for being a true friend," she thought to herself, a gentle smile forming on her lips. She settled back into the couch, letting the movie and the steady rhythm of Sasuke's breathing lull her into a sense of peace.
XXXXXXXXXX
I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but I tried to show how differently some of the characters think through their perspectives. For example, Hinata doubting Naruto and wondering if he would cheat on her with Shizuka vs. Naruto being completely devoted to Hinata and not thinking about Shizuka in that way at all. Or Naruto not understanding (to eventually realizing he was being a jerk) Hinata vs. Hinata thinking everything is her fault.
I want to highlight how there might be some miscommunications and how the characters truly view themselves or various situations.
Also, we're approaching what you all may have been waiting for (or at least curious as to how it will happen). The second divorce. Before that happens, we still have a bit more drama to swim through. The next chapter will be here either this week or next! Please don't forget to leave a comment or kudos, and let me know what you want to happen or think will happen! ️ :)