As Sasuke laid on the pull-out bed in Naruto's office, he slowly awakened to the soft, familiar sounds of the Uzumaki household. The chirping of birds outside the window melded with the distant voices of Boruto and Himawari, their cheerful chatter drifting throughout the house. He could hear Hinata's gentle voice responding, and the light hiss from the kitchen signaled that the tea kettle was on.
Sasuke stretched his hand up, flexing his fingers as the sunlight filtered through the window, casting warm, golden rays across the room. He stared at the light streaming in, feeling its warmth on his skin as he let out a deep breath. Today was the day. The day he would be moving into his first house since returning to Konoha. A place of his own.
It felt strange, the mix of emotions that swirled within him. On the surface, he was accustomed to being alone. For years, solitude had been his constant companion, and he had grown used to the silence, the isolation. But somewhere, buried deep within, there was a part of him that didn't like it. A part that longed for the warmth of companionship, the comfort of a shared space.
He remembered the times he came home to Sakura and Sarada, the quiet joy that filled him as he walked through the door and saw them waiting for him. Even during his recent stay at the Uzumaki household, there had been a sense of belonging that he hadn't realized he craved. The sound of Boruto and Himawari laughing and even arguing, the aroma of Hinata's cooking, the moments he spent with not only Hinata, but Naruto as well. It had all made him feel…less alone.
And now, he was about to leave that behind. To return to the solitude he knew so well. But this time, it felt different. He wasn't sure if it was that prospect of being alone again that unsettled him, or if it was the realization that he came to care about the chaotic, loud and loving household more than he thought possible. Despite the troubles that surrounded Hinata and Naruto.
Sasuke sat up, running a hand through his hair as he tried to shake off the lingering drowsiness. He knew he needed to get up, to start the day and prepare for the move, but for a moment, he just sat there.
With a sigh, Sasuke pushed himself off the bed, feeling the coolness of the floor beneath his feet. After showering, he dressed quickly, struggling slightly putting his shirt on with one arm. A casual black shirt and beige pants. He made his way towards the kitchen. The sounds louder as he approached, and when he entered, he was greeted by the sight of Hinata preparing breakfast, her movements graceful as she set the table. Botuto and Himawari were already seated, their faces lit up when he saw him.
"Good morning, uncle Sasuke!" Himawari called out cheerfully.
Boruto nodded in greeting, his mouth full of food as he mumbled something that Sasuke assumed was a 'good morning'.
"Hn, morning," he replied.
Hinata glanced up from the stove offering him a small smile.
"Good morning, Sasuke. I made some tea. Would you like a cup?"
"Yes, please." He said.
As Hinata poured the tea, Sasuke found himself lingering in the doorway of the kitchen, watching the family he had grown closer to over the past week. It wasn't like he wasn't going to ever see them again, but it still felt strange.
As Sasuke settled into his seat, he glanced over at Hinata. "Has Naruto come around at all this morning?"
Hinata paused in her movements as she shook her head. "No, he hasn't. Is he coming to help you?"
Sasuke nodded, his thoughts drifted to the night before. Naruto was probably sleeping off a hangover, he mused. Not that it mattered much to Sasuke. He didn't need any help with moving. He barely had much to move, just two boxes, really. The idea of relying on someone, even Naruto, felt unnecessary.
As he started to fix his plate, he eyed all the food that Hinata prepared. It looked delicious as always, but he kept that thought to himself, quietly appreciating the care she put into her cooking.
For a while, the other sounds were the clicking of the chopsticks against the bowls and the soft murmur of contentment from Himawari as she ate.
But then, the front door opened, and the calm was shattered by Naruto's voice calling out, "I'm here!"
The change in the room was immediate. Sasuke noticed how the atmosphere soured, the tension crept in like a cold draft. Boruto, who had been eating quietly, suddenly looked up, his expression darkened. He pushed his chair back abruptly, the legs scraped against the floor with a loud creak.
By the time Naruto appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, his usually cheerful grin in place, Boruto was already pushing his plate away.
"I'm not hungry anymore," he muttered, his voice tight with anger as he shot a glare at this father.
"Boruto," Hinata began, her hand reached out to him as to stop him, but Boruto was already standing.
"I don't want to be around him," Boruto snapped, not even sparing Naruto another glance as he turned and headed for the door.
Sasuke watched the exchange in silence, his sharp eyes catching the flicker of pain that crossed Naruto's face at his son's reaction. For a brief moment, Sasuke almost felt pity for him. Almost.
Hinata called after Boruto, her voice pleading. "Boruto…"
But the only response was the sound of the front door slamming shut, the noise vibrated throughout the house .
Naruto stood there for a moment, his expression falling as he stared after Boruto. The he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "It's okay, Hinata," he said. Despite the softness of his tone, it was strained. "I'll talk with him later."
The air in the room felt heavy with tension, thick and uncomfortable. Sasuke couldn't help but feel how awkward it was to be their presence, especially considering that Hinata had asked for a divorce just two days earlier. Everything was still so fresh, emotions still running high, and it showed in every glance and pause in their interaction.
Sasuke's eyes shifted to Himawari, sitting quietly at the table. For a moment, he noticed her small brows furrowed, as if she were absorbing the strain in the room. But then, just as quickly, she brightened, her expression shifting into a sunny smile as she looked at her father.
"Good morning, Papa!" she chirped, her voice breaking the uneasy silence. "Do you want breakfast?"
Naruto's tense expression softened. "No thank you, Hima. I'm not really hungry," he replied, though his stomach betrayed him with a loud, embarrassing growl. His face flushed red.
Sasuke caught a glance at Hinata, who hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. "There's some food left over if you want any."
"If you don't mind…" Naruto said sheepishly.
Hinata made him a plate and served it to him. The blonde had a slight blush on his cheeks when Hinata placed the plate in front of him. His blue eyes lingered on her for a bit longer.
It was painful for Sasuke to watch this exchange, to see the way Naruto and Hinata interacted with each other now. Every word, every glance was laced with a mixture of regret and lingering affection, making it all the difficult to witness. He felt like an intruder, as if he shouldn't be seeing this side of their relationship, but it was too late…he had already seen and heard enough during his stay.
Himawari leaned in to Sasuke and whispered, "Hey Uncle Sasuke, Papa's stomach is louder than his snoring."
Her playful comment was clearly meant to make him feel better by lightening the mood. Sasuke couldn't help but smile, a small, curve of his lips. "Sounds like it," he replied quietly enough where only Himawari could here.
As he glanced at the young girl, Sasuke noted how similar she was to her mother in that regard, finding small ways to bring comfort, even in the most difficult moments.
Naruto eventually took a seat at the table, his earlier bravado fading as her turned at Sasuke. "So…what do you want me to do?"
Sasuke barely looked up from his bowl of rice. "I don't need any help. I can handle it on my own."
"How are you gonna do anything with just one arm, huh?" Naruto teased, grinning.
Sasuke frowned. The Hokage had a point. It wasn't easy for him to manage certain tasks, even something as simple as putting on a shirt could be a struggle. But he remained silent, not wanting to give Naruto the satisfaction of admitting that he was right.
Hinata, who had been quiet for most of the time while Naruto had been there, suddenly stood up. "I have a few errands to run," she announced, her voice clipped as she avoided meeting Naruto's eyes.
She barely left any room for anyone to respond before she was rushing out of the kitchen, leaving Sasuke alone with Naruto and Himawari.
Naruto chuckled nervously, the awkwardness settling back in. "Sorry, Sasuke…for everything," he said. "A lot has happened this week since you've been here. I can only imagine you're ready to leave."
Sasuke didn't respond, simply giving a slight nod of acknowledgement. The tension in the room lingered, but Himawari's presence made it bearable.
XXXXXX
Flashback…
(previous night)
Hinata stood at the sink, her hands moving methodically as she washed the dishes, but her mind was far away. The decision to ask for a divorce had not come easy, and with each passing day, the reality of the choice settled deeper into her bones.
She wished it hadn't come to that. She had always believed in the strength of their bond, in the love that had carried them through so much. But after all the years of Naruto's absence, years where she has raised their children largely on her own, holding knot the hope that things would change. The brief months of him trying to make up for it felt too little, too late. As much as she had wanted to hold onto the marriage, the distance between them had grown too wide, the cracks were too deep to mind for Hinata.
She had loved Naruto with everything she had, and in many ways, she still did. The decision to separate had been one made out of necessity, not desire.
As she scrubbed a stubborn stain from a plate, she sighed. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't hear Sasuke approach until his deep voice cut through the quiet, startling her.
"Do you need help?"
She gasped in surprise, her grip on the plate faltered. It slipped from her hands, clatterring loudly into the sink as she let out a small scream, her heart racing.
Hinata quickly turned to see Sasuke standing there, his usually stoic expression tinged with mild amusement. For a moment, her surprise turned into frustration, and she grabbed the drying towel, throwing it at him in a mix of embarrassment and irritation.
"Don't do that!" she scolded, her voice sharper than usual, though the tension quickly eased when she heard him chuckle.
"Sorry about that," he said. He glanced at the dishes and then back to her. "Need help with that?"
"No, I've got it," Hinata said, though she noticed Sasuke was already moving to help, his movements a bit more hesitate than usual.
He began picking up the dishes from the drying rack, his brows furrowed slightly as he asked where what dish went where. As she glanced over at him, Hinata nose twitched. There was a faint but unmistakable scent of alcohol lingering around him. She titled her head, her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied him.
"You smell like alcohol…Are you drunk?" She mused.
"I'm not drunk," he replied quickly.
She couldn't help but notice the slight redness in his face, and his usually sharp black eyes seemed hazy, not entirely focused. It was almost amusing, seeing him like that. Despite how stoic he tried to appear, it was clear to her that he was, in fact, drunk.
The more she looked at him, the more she found it oddly cute, even though Sasuke would probably hate to hear that.
"Don't worry, even if I were drunk, I wouldn't throw up on you," he said with a teasing tone.
Hinata's smile faltered as she was suddenly reminded of the time when she had been the one who was far too drunk and accidentally threw up on him. A memory she wished she could forget. She quickly turned away, red in the face, moving around him to pick up the drying towel forgotten on the floor.
They worked together in silence after that, drying the dishes side by side. But it wasn't an awkward silence. It was…comfortable, almost peaceful. She appreciated the quiet presence who wasn't trying to fill the silence with empty words.
When she handed him the last plate to dry, Hinata looked up and found Sasuke staring at her. His gaze was intense, his eyes locked on hers in a way that made her heart skip a beat. The look on his face was unreadable, but it made her feel vulnerable and confused.
Before she could gather her thoughts enough to ask if he was alright, Sasuke put the plate in the cabinet and quickly left the kitchen, heading toward the living room. Hinata stood there for a moment, her mind swirled with questions, but she eventually erased the thoughts and continued on.
When she walked into the living room, she spotted Sasuke with his arm over his eyes. Hinata hesitated for a moment before sitting down beside him. She could feel the soft creak of the cushions as she eased into the spot. Her eyes instinctiely searching his face for any sign of what he was feeling. He looked troubled, which only deepened her concern.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
She didn't like seeing him like that and she wanted to help, but she wasn't sure how.
When he admitted that he could barely get himself to look at her, she leaned back slightly, a wave of worry washed over her. "Why? Did I do something wrong?"
She could already feel the anxiety creeping in.
But Sasuke shook his head quickly, dismissing her concern. "No, you didn't do anything. It's just that your soon-to-be-ex-husband seems to enjoy talking about your…sex life so openly, and now I'm shell shocked. I might die."
Hinata felt her face heat up instantly, a deep blush spreaded around her cheeks. The last thing she wanted was for anyone, especially Sasuke, to know about the things that happened behind closed doors. The idea that Naruto had shared such personal details to Sasuke made her stomach churn with embarrassment and annoyance. She couldn't bring herself to meet Sasuke's eyes and found herself scooting backward on the couch, trying to create some distance between them.
Sasuke scoff broke the awkward silence, and his next words only added to her discomfort. "Yeah, feels weird, doesn't it? I feel like I just heard about my sister's sex life."
"S-Sister?" Hinata's voice wavered, barely above a whisper.
The word struck her in a strange way, leaving her with a feeling she couldn't quite place. It stirred something in her, a strange unsettling feeling. She couldn't help but feel that she didn't want Sasuke to see her that way, as just a sisterly figure.
But why did it matter?
Sasuke was her friend, and that was enough.
While she had always considered him one of her closest friends, second only to Kiba, there was something different about Sasuke…something that set him apart. It frustrated her that she couldn't put her finger on what it was, and she almost felt embarrassed by the way that thought made her feel. The more he spoke, the more her heart pounded. She appreciated his protectivness, even if he didn't realize how much it affected her. But she couldn't shake the lingering embarrassment, knowing Sasuke now knew things about her that she wished remained private.
She felt mildly annoyed with Naruto, recognizing that, in his own way, he had likely been trying to brag. That was just like him, never thinking about how his words might affect her. But then, the more she thought about it, she remembered that she shared some details about Naruto with Sakura and Ino. It wasn't as if she had said too much, but the memory helped her calm her annoyance toward him. They were both guilty of sharing things that should have remained private, and that realization made her sigh.
End of flashback
Hinata walked though the village, her steps hurried and uncertain. She hadn't really thought it through when she left the house, hadn't planned where she was going or what she was going to do. All she knew was that the tension in the kitchen had been too much…seeing Naruto, feeling the awkwardness between them, it had made her heart ache in ways she wasn't ready to deal with. So, without thinking, she had rushed out, muttering something about errands she didn't really have.
Now, she roamed the village streets feeling guilt. She would need to apologize to Himawari and Sasuke later. Running away like that had been impulsive,m and it wasn't fair to leave them with the tension she couldn't handle.
But right now her mind was focused on one thing…finding her son. She searched the familiar spots, checking the main training grounds, the rooftops, the quiet places where he sometimes went to be alone. Even his favorite burger place.
After what felt like hours, she finally found him at the training ground on the outskirts of the village. Boruto was there, his expression intense as he practiced throwing kunai at the dummy strapped to a wooden post. His movements were sharp, precise, but there was an edge of frustration in every throw.
Hinata stood there for a moment, watching him silently. The way he clenched his jaw broke her heart. Taking a deep, breath, she stepped forward.
"Boruto…"
He glanced at her, surprise flickered across his face for a moment before he quickly masked it. He didn't say anything, just stared at her, his eyes refllecting a mixture of emotions, anger, confusion and hurt.
"Can I join you?" she asked, hoping he would let her in, even just a little.
Boruto's gaze shifted between the kunai in his hand and his mother. For a moment, she thought he might refuse, but then with a nod, he handed her three kunai.
Hinata took the kunai from him, offering a small encouraging smile. Together, they practiced in silence, the only sounds being the dull thuds of the kunai hitting the wooden dummy and the soft rustle of the leaves in the wind. The silence was heavy, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
"What's on your mind, Boruto?" Hinata broke the silence.
She could see his hand tightened around the kunai he held.
"I'm…I'm mad about the divorce…about dad…about everything. It just isn't fair."
"It's okay to feel that way. It's okay to be upset."
Boruto glanced at her. "I just don't get it. Why does it have to be this way? Why can't things go back to how they were when he wasn't the Hokage?"
Hinata felt a lump in her throat, but she forced herself to stay calm, to be the steady presence he needed. "Sometimes things change in ways we don't expect…and it's hard to understand why," she said. "But it doesn't mean we don't love you. Your father and I…we both love you and Himawari so much."
Boruto didn't respond right away, instead his gaze was fixed on the dummy as he threw another kunai. It struck the target dead center, but there was no satisfaction in his expression.
"I'm mad at him, you know? I'm mad that he's okay with this. That he's not fighting harder."
Despite how he may act, she knew how much Boruto looked up to his father. She stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Your father isn't okay with this, Boruto. He's struggling too, more than you might realize. But sometimes, letting go is the hardest thing to do, even when it's the right thing."
Boruto didn't say anything, but the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease just a little under her touch.
She knew the upcoming months would be difficult not only for her and Naruto, but for the children as well.
XXXXXX
In the pitch darkness of his new bedroom, Sasuke laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling he couldn't see. The silence of the house enveloped him. He was alone, a feeling that was both familiar and sharply painful in moments like this.
As he lay there, thoughts of his separation from Sakura drifted through his mind. They had never actually had a wedding ceremony, a fact that nagged at him now. Sakura had said it was fine, that the ceremony didn't matter as much as being together, but he knew in his heart that it was something she had truly wanted. The regret of not giving her that day, that moment of celebration, weighed heavily on him.
The early days of their relationship replayed in his mind, times when everything seemed fine, when they were just learning to live with each other's presence daily. But as time passed, Sakura's possessive jealousy began to surface. He remembered how she would cling to him tighter whenever they walked past someone she saw as a potential threat. He tried to reassure her, his words meant to soothe, but her worries only halted temporarily before rushing back.
There had been times during his travels when he had worried, irrationally, that Sakura might move on and forget about him. Yet, deep down, he knew Sakura would never betray him. It pained him deeply to realize that the same level of trust wasn't reciprocated. Sakura had always harbored fears about his fidelity and commitment.
His thoughts shifted to Sarada and how she was coping with their separation. The image of Boruto's angry, hurt eyes from that morning flashed before him. Was Sarada experiencing the same pain? She had seemed fine the last few times he saw her, but what if that was just a facade? What if she was just as hurt and didn't show it?
Sasuke groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead. The possibility of his daughter harboring resentment or pain because of his actions was too much to bear. He couldn't stand the thought of her being mad at him, of not understanding why he made the choices he did.
With a deep, weary sigh, Sasuke tried to push these troubling thoughts away. It was late, and he needed to rest, not spiral into worry and regret. He shifted on the bed, turning to his side, trying to find comfort in the coolness of the sheets and the quiet of the night. But that comfort didn't come that night.
XXXXXX
Naruto walked through the empty halls of the Hokage Tower, the silence echoing around him. The building felt cold, the usual warmth and bustle of the day replaced by an emptiness that settled deep into his bones. Every footstep he took seemed to remind him of the void in his heart, the hollow feeling that had grown since his family had been torn apart.
He couldn't shake the image of Hinata from his mind—how she had left so quickly, without so much as a goodbye, without even meeting his eyes. He had wanted her to look at him, to give him some sign that they could still fix things, but she couldn't even do that. It was like she had already made up her mind, and that realization cut deeper than he wanted to admit.
After he became Hokage, the work had hit him like a ton of bricks. He hadn't expected the sheer amount of paperwork, the endless tasks that seemed to pile up faster than he could manage. Deadlines loomed over him, people breathing down his neck, and the stress of it all had pushed him further and further away from the life he had wanted with his family.
In his desperation to keep up, he had started sending clones home in his place—to be with the kids, to spend time with Hinata. But a clone wasn't the same as being there in person, and he knew it. And now, thinking about it, it was those small decisions that had snowballed into the chasm that now separated him from the people he loved most. He couldn't help but think of Hinata as his wife—no, his ex-wife, once they sign the papers. The thought twisted something deep inside him.
He didn't want to sign them. He wanted to delay it for as long as he could, believing that somehow, he could still work things out with her. She loved him, didn't she? And he loved her. But there was always that part of him that struggled to make her understand just how much pressure he was constantly under as the leader of their village.
Even when Sasuke had stayed with them, work had gotten in the way again. Things had seemed fine on the surface, but he couldn't forget the look in Hinata's eyes, the one that told him everything wasn't fine. And then there were Kiba's words, ringing in his ears like a mantra: Do better. Do better. Do better. As much as Kiba annoyed him, Naruto knew where he was coming from.
Naruto's feet carried him to a room in the back of the tower, a place he had claimed as his own for the nights he couldn't make it home. The room was bare, save for a full bed in the corner. It was cold, just like the rest of the tower, just like the emptiness he felt inside. This room was supposed to be his new home, but it felt more like a prison.
He missed Hinata. He missed Himawari. He missed Boruto.
The memory of Boruto's gaze that morning hit him like a punch to the gut. His son used to idolize him, always wanting to be by his side. But that had changed over time, and Naruto knew it was his fault. He had managed to reconnect with Boruto briefly, but then he had gone and ruined it all over again. He felt like an idiot.
I am an idiot, he thought bitterly to himself.
Naruto had spent many nights here alone before, but it was different now. The loneliness was sharper, more painful. Everything he had worked so hard to build felt like it was crumbling around him, and he didn't know how to fix it.
"I really messed things up…" he muttered, the words echoing off the empty walls.
XXXXXXX
Hinata laid in her bed—a bed that had once been theirs, now just hers. She had spent many nights alone here, enough that the solitude had woven itself into the fabric of her daily life. It was neither sad nor upsetting; it was simply her reality now.
As she laid there, memories of Naruto filtered through the quiet. She would miss the security of his strong arms wrapped around her, a feeling she had just started to become accustomed to again. His sweet whispers of love, his unexpected help in the kitchen—those were moments that hinted at a return to his old self, and more.
She vividly recalled one night when he had prepared a bath for her, the water adorned with rose petals. His gestures, often simple but deeply thoughtful, had shown her the depth of his love. Naruto could be oblivious at times, slow to catch on to the subtleties of her feelings, but when he made an effort, it was wholehearted and genuine. He had really tried, in every way he could, to show her that he loved her.
But lying there in the silence, the dam that had held back her emotions finally broke. The pain that she had been quietly holding inside came pouring out. Tears streamed down her cheeks, followed by quiet, hard sobs that shook her body. Each one echoed in the empty room.
XXXXXXXXXXX
I tried to show how each character felt alone. Despite the experience that they have had previously, it is a finality of a life they no longer have. Next chapter will be a tiny little leap into the future, but not by much. Only 3-4 weeks after this chapter.
I'm currently on vacation in Japan, and the next chapter is almost finished. It should be posted in a few days if not tomorrow! Either way, it's coming! Please let me know what you're thinking so far in a comment/review.