Series: Naruto
Pairings: NaruHina
Author: Lynns
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi
Type: Alternate Universe/Romance
Sparks Fly
Epilogue
Five and a Half Years Later
The grocery store was hectic on a Thursday morning. However, Hinata figured it was because of the upcoming long weekend that people were getting their shopping done today instead of tomorrow. Trying to navigate her shopping cart with the large crowd was already tricky, but adding a toddler in the front and a six-month-old baby in a carry car seat made it almost impossible to shop.
While her daughter was fast asleep, Hinata had to keep an eye on her son every time she stopped the cart to ensure he didn't pull anything off the shelves. Although, usually, when she had to make a grocery run, one of her aunts or cousins were able to watch her children, unfortunately, all of her go-to babysitters had been busy for today.
As she approached the deli, meat and butchers area, Hinata made sure she kept her cart just far enough away so Boruto wouldn't be able to touch the glass.
"Good Afternoon, Miss. How may I help you?" the Deli worked asked.
"Two T-Bone and two Sirloin steaks, please. Ah, Boruto! Please don't reach so far out! You'll fall out of the cart!" Hinata tried to keep her voice down as she watched her son try to almost fling himself out of the cart to touch the lobster tank.
"Ha ha, you got it, Miss. Cute little ones you have there. Your daughter is the spitting image of you! And I bet your son looks exactly like his daddy!"
Hinata smiled and whispered a 'thank you' for the compliment but then went back to explaining to Boruto why he couldn't have a lobster.
After obtaining the meat for tonight's supper, Hinata quickly made her way to the checkout so she could get back home as fast as humanly possible. Thankfully, there were five tills open, and they only had one customer each. She quietly thanked any gods that were listening and stood in line to wait her turn. Himawari was still peacefully sleeping in her car seat while Boruto was playing with a box of pasta.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly when she finally reached the till and began unloading her groceries onto the conveyer belt. But then, Hinata visibly flinched when she heard a child suddenly scream loudly a few aisles over. While everyone else was paying attention to the mother who was scolding her daughter for being so loud, Hinata slowly turned to her own children with a fearful look on her face.
Himawari was now wide awake and looked very surprised by the loud scream, while Boruto looked as if he was about to cry.
"It's okay, Boruto, honey. It's okay." Hinata tried to soothe her two little ones, but it was too late.
Boruto was the first to start crying, and he screamed as if someone had taken his favourite dinosaur toy. His little sister was not far behind him, and she also began wailing. Hinata desperately tried to multi-task with trying to get her groceries to the clerk but also doing her best to get her children to stop crying. As she attempted to put a soother in Himawari's mouth, Boruto took the box of pasta he had been holding onto and threw it onto the floor. Hinata watched in slow motion as the box dropped towards her feet but then proceeded to explode with dry spaghetti scattering everywhere.
All eyes in the store were now on her.
Hinata wanted nothing more than to just bolt from the store with her two crying children in tow. But there was nowhere to run to, and she needed these groceries for the next few days. Closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths, she put the rest of her groceries on the belt before kneeling down to try and start cleaning up the spaghetti.
"Ah! Don't worry about that, Miss! I'll clean that up! You just focus on your kids and paying for your groceries. Did you want me to grab you another box?" A young man with a white shirt and green apron suddenly kneeled beside her and started to scoop up the dry pasta into a small garbage bag he was holding.
"I'm so sorry, and no, that's alright. I already have two other boxes of spaghetti." Hinata said softly while still trying to help clean up the mess her son had caused.
"Not a problem at all, Miss. Honestly, this is probably one of the easiest clean-up jobs I've had today. You should have seen the mom in here earlier with her two toddler boys who knocked over two dozen eggs. Now that was a pain to clean." Reminisced the grocery worker.
Hinata nodded her thanks and then stood up to try and deal with her crying children. Boruto had at least lowered the volume of his, but tears and snot were still streaming down his face. Her hands dove into the diaper bag to try and find the hand wipes she always carried, but either they were at the bottom of the bag or just playing hard to find.
"Come on . . ." Hinata sighed tiredly.
"Here you go, Miss; this should help at least for the moment." The cashier momentarily stopped scanning her groceries and passed Hinata a few tissues from behind the till.
"Thank you so much." Hinata exhaled.
While she wiped Boruto's face, it was pretty clear that most of the staff and customers were being very understanding and helped her in any way they could. However, she wasn't utterly clueless about the odd angry or annoyed stare she was receiving either.
Hinata paid for her groceries as quickly as possible and then pushed the cart out towards the parking lot. The shaking and loud noises the shopping cart made on the bumpy pavement only added fuel to the fire of her children's cries. No matter how much she tried to comfort or offer them soothers, neither of them would stop. Eyes from customers coming and going were all on her and her children, either full of disappointment or sympathy.
Succumbing to her fate, Hinata pushed them to her white minivan. She quickly unloaded her groceries into the back and then proceeded to get her son and daughter into their seats. Himawari was easy, but Boruto took a little more energy to get him into his front-facing toddler seat.
Once the children were in their seats securely, Hinata pushed the cart away as hard as she could, hoping it would reach the spot where they were stored in the parking lot. Jumping into the front seat, her little ones continued to cry and cry, with no sign of either of them letting up.
"Please . . . please let this work . . ." Hinata prayed softly as she started the van and began driving out of the parking lot and towards the road.
Almost instantly, they quieted as they were mesmerized by the motion of the moving vehicle. By the time she hit the second light, Himawari was already fast asleep again, and Boruto was nodding off.
Hinata let out a sigh of relief and relaxed as she continued her drive home. While the grocery store was only a ten-minute drive away, she made sure to take the long way home so she could relish in the quietness around her.
Motherhood was tough and certainly not for the faint of heart. Especially when you had more than one. Not that Boruto had been stress-free, but when she just had him, it was much easier to get things done around the house or run errands. But after Himawari was born, her role as a mother became twice as hard. Hinata sometimes would wonder how her own mother had dealt with two children under two.
Hinata drove down the familiar cul-de-sac and towards her home, which she and Naruto had purchased from her father one year after getting married. The wedding occurred in the spring, one year and fourth months after they had gotten engaged. And for two years, the couple had just enjoyed their time together as husband and wife. However, as time passed, the discussion of starting a family came up, and they both agreed it was time.
Boruto was born the following spring, close to their two-year anniversary, and Himawari had been born a few days before Christmas just last year. While Naruto had voiced to her about having a large family, three or more kids, their plans for that had been slightly pushed aside after the birth of Himawari. Complications during delivery and one emergency caesarian section later had left the couple rather rattled. While the doctor had confirmed they could have more children, so long as during the third trimester they monitored the baby more closely, Hinata could tell Naruto was more hesitant about wanting more.
And at times like today, Hinata was more than happy with just having two. The stress of trying to haul a toddler and baby around was beyond tiring. If anything, it made Hinata want to stay home and not go anywhere, or at least find someone to watch her children if she had any errands to run.
As Hinata pulled into her driveway, she hit the small garage door button above her head and drove inside. Once the large door closed behind her, she turned around to see that her babies were still sound asleep. Ever so quietly, Hinata slipped out of her seat and slowly began bringing the groceries into the house. A part of her felt bad for leaving her children asleep in the car, but the other part told her it was a blessing in disguise and that she should take advantage of the situation.
While carrying the groceries from her car and putting them away in the kitchen, Hinata kept glancing down at her phone to see if she had any new messages from her husband. He was once again away at Konoha Energy and would be arriving home tonight after a three-week-long shift. Naruto was now one of the Lead Foreman's on site and had been in his current position for almost two years. While she did miss him terribly, she also understood how much he loved his job and the place he worked.
Right now, there aren't a lot of local jobs for him to apply at for the time being. But, I also know that Naruto is really happy where he's working right now. So, how can I be selfish and tell him to give up something he enjoys?
Once everything was put away, Hinata knew it was time to get her children out of the car. She first brought Boruto in, who immediately woke up the moment she started unbuckling him. While he didn't cry, he was certainly not happy and wanted something to eat for lunch. Thankfully, there were still leftovers from yesterday's supper that would make a perfect meal for her little guy. In less than two minutes, she placed her son in his high chair and warmed up the spaghetti and meatballs.
As Boruto happily ate his lunch, Hinata escaped to the attached garage once again to retrieve her sleeping daughter. Himawari only started to stir once she pulled her out of the car seat. Quickly, she walked over to the couch while dodging scattered toys on the floor so that she could feed Himawari her lunch as well. Since Hinata was in the comfort of her own home, she didn't bother to cover up while breastfeeding her daughter.
While her children ate, instead of taking it easy for a few minutes, Hinata ran the rest of the day's schedule through her head.
Once the kids are done eating, I'll put Himawari in her swing, play a movie for Boruto and then I can finish tidying up the house. And then I can get started on supper. The steaks will be easy to BBQ out back, but the salads will take a little time to prep. Then by 7pm, Naruto should be home along with Hanabi and Konohamaru, and we can all eat together. Oh, why do I do this to myself?
Hinata sighed and glanced towards the kitchen where Boruto was still eating. Her pale eyes also taking in the main floor and thinking how much it had changed over the last few years. The once spacious and clean open concept main area now had baby gates all over the place. Blocking the main hallway, the bottom of the stairs to the bedrooms up top, and the stairs leading to the basement. Another long 25ft, foldable gate completely blocked her children from the dining room so they couldn't climb up on any of the chairs. The living room was scattered with toys, a jolly jumper and a baby swing, while the kitchen's only addition was two high chairs.
The two extra bedrooms on the main floor were only used during the New Year's Eve get-together for relatives staying over, along with the bedroom downstairs. The entertainment area was hardly ever touched as well, and Hinata couldn't remember the last time she had played a game of pool with her family.
As for upstairs, Hanabi's old room currently belonged to her son, and Himawari slept in the master bedroom with her and Naruto. The house still felt huge; even though they had two children, Hinata knew that it would be used to its fullest potential in the future.
With her children fed, Hinata started to get to work on the other tasks that needed to be completed before supper time. While Himawari slept in her swing and Boruto was distracted by his favourite movie, she quickly set out to finish her chores.
Hinata took great pride in herself that, for the most part, her home was usually tidy and clean but at the same time didn't look like a museum. Of course, it was still quite evident that it was occupied by children, but that was something she took joy in instead of trying to hide it like some mothers did. So long as there weren't a lot of toys to step on, the bed was made, laundry and dishes were mostly caught up, Hinata then spent most of her time playing with her children. If it was a rainy or cold day out, they would stay inside and either play with toys or watch something on the television. But if it was nice out, she would take them outside for a walk in the double stroller or to a playground that Boruto could play on.
While being a stay-at-home mom was undoubtedly more challenging than she could have ever imagined, Hinata would not want to trade it for anything in the world. The odd time she would find herself pondering what life would be like if she went fully back to work while dropping her kids off at a daycare. She would no longer have to deal with temper tantrums over grabbing the wrong cup for her son or the cries of her daughter wanting to be held. And while those things could be tiring and very stressful, they outweighed the precious, big and little moments she had experienced with her children. If she had gone back to work, she wouldn't have witnessed the first time Boruto rolled over or walked. Or the first smile Himawari gave her when tickling her little toes.
No. Even though this is ten times as difficult when I was working at the office, this is where I belong and want to be.
After the house was officially tidied up, Hinata began working on the potato salad that would be paired with tonight's steak dinner, along with the garlic shrimp. While prepping the appetizers, Boruto's movie finished, and he started looking at the door expectantly. A few times, he would throw the odd toy to get her attention or point at the door and ask 'Papa?'.
Hinata tried to tell her son that daddy would be home soon; however, the little boy didn't look convinced. She glanced down at her phone on the counter to see if there was still any word from her husband, but unfortunately, there was still nothing. Deep down, Hinata knew that she should have heard from him by now, and that his plane had most likely landed. However, tonight was also game three of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Which meant he was probably either trying to convince his co-workers he couldn't join them at the bar, or he had caved and was watching part of the game before coming home.
She tried to hide the disappointment stirring within her, but Hinata was finding it harder to keep her emotions pushed down. This wasn't the first time Naruto hadn't come home right away after his long shift away. In fact, it was starting to happen more frequently as the weeks went by, and Hinata knew that she was partially to blame for that. A few months ago, Naruto had come straight home from the airport to a completely chaotic home. Boruto had been having a temper tantrum that he couldn't find his favourite teddy bear, and she had been in the middle of breastfeeding Himawari. To be fair, Naruto had also come home from another three-week shift and had tried his best to help Boruto find his lost bear, but in the end, she had snapped at him and found the toy herself since she couldn't take their crying anymore.
What Hinata hated to admit more than anything was the obvious large gap that was slowly being wedged between her and Naruto's relationship over the last few years.
After getting married, things had stayed relatively the same between them. Even after finding out they were pregnant with Boruto, the bond, love, and attraction they shared for each other only grew. However, things changed drastically after their son was born. Sleepless nights, being new parents who were fully responsible for another human being, and also trying to live their day-to-day lives was a complete eye-opener. Not that either of them thought being a mom and dad was easy, but it certainly had its significant challenges.
However, the gap had only been small at that point and hardly noticeable. While their love life wasn't as ample as it had been before, the two of them always went out of their way to make sure the flames between them didn't die out.
That is to say, until Hinata found out she was pregnant with Himawari.
While at first nothing seemed to change, little by little is when she started to notice a shift in their relationship. Being pregnant with their second child while trying to run after a toddler all day would completely wear her out. This meant that when her son was finally asleep at the end of the day, all Hinata wanted to do was go straight to bed. When Naruto was home on his days off, he would often try to initiate sex with her, but if she was too tired, she would often decline his request or go along with the sexual encounter, but only until he found his release. During that time, the passion between them was almost flamed out.
And it only got worse once Himawari was born.
After having a C-section, she wasn't allowed to pick up anything over ten pounds or do any of the household chores for six weeks. This also included not having sex for eight weeks, which had been an absolute killer for her husband. While her sister had stayed with them to help with chores and Boruto, Hinata could tell that Naruto was struggling with this new change in their lives. There were some nights she had energy left over to help her husband find his climatic release with her hands, but he would always tell her it wasn't the same.
But even after she had fully recovered from her surgery, the gap just grew and grew.
Hinata couldn't deny that she had gotten lost in her role as a mother and housewife. It was always her first priority to make sure the children's needs were met first, followed by the daily and weekly chores of the house. There were times that Naruto tried to help her out, either by trying to take the kids for the morning and letting her sleep in or attempting to assist in the housework. However, most of the time, their two children would scream and want her instead of him, or he would put the laundry on the wrong setting. In her mind, it was just easier and less of a hassle if she did it herself.
Naruto never even would argue with her either. If she stepped in while he was trying to do something with the kids but not doing it right, or she would take over a household task he had been trying to attempt, her husband would silently get out of her way and go somewhere else in the house.
Hinata knew at times that she was being utterly unfair to him, but perhaps it was her way of getting back at him for the pain and hurt she was feeling towards him. Their love life had taken a complete nose dive, even after she was given clearance to have sex again by her doctor. She had expected Naruto to make the first move, but when it became pretty apparent that he wasn't putting in any effort, Hinata had stepped up her game and made her intentions known to him. And yet . . .
We haven't had sex in over twelve weeks . . .
While motherhood was something she did enjoy, Hinata started to wonder what she could have done differently to keep the sparks going between her and Naruto. During their happiest of times, she had felt like she was flying high above the clouds. Which only made her current situation all the more painful with how far things had fallen between them.
Hinata bit her lip and tried not to cry as she pulled the tails off of the shrimp in the bowl in front of her. But before she could wipe away her tears, the sound of her phone ringing brought her back to her senses.
Her heart skipped a beat, hoping that it was her husband calling, but she couldn't help the disappointment she felt upon seeing Hanabi's name on the screen. Sighing in frustration, Hinata wiped the tears from her eyes and cleared her throat before answering her sister's call, "Hello, Hinata speaking."
At first, there was no answer, but Hinata suddenly had to pull the phone away from her ear from the very loud sound of someone throwing up. "Hanabi?! Is everything alright?"
The vomiting continued, but she could hear someone on the other end pick up the phone, "Hello? Hinata? It's Konohamaru; sorry about that."
"Is Hanabi okay?" Hinata asked, even though she knew the answer to her question.
"Ah well, not so much. Not sure why they call it morning sickness when she seems to be throwing up at all hours of the day. But as I recall, I don't think you were this sick with either Boruto or Himawari." Her brother-in-law commented.
Hinata sighed. "That may be true, but I wasn't pregnant with twins either. So I'm sure for her, it's twice the amount of trouble I had during my first trimester."
Konohamaru laughed softly. "True enough, true enough. Anyways, she was calling to let you know that we won't be able to make it out tonight. She hasn't been able to hold down any food at all today, and I'm about ready to take her to the emergency room if this continues."
Hinata's grip tightened around the phone. "Has it been really that bad today?"
"Well, she did alright during and after lunch. But after she had a snack an hour ago, she hasn't even been able to keep water down. And the doctors did warn us that she shouldn't get dehydrated."
"That's very true. Try giving her the ginger capsules and salted crackers. If that doesn't help, then for sure take her to the emergency room." Hinata offered to him.
"I'll keep you posted. Again, sorry that we can't make it. Is Naruto there yet? I'm sure he'll eat my steak if you've already cooked them."
Hinata paused before softly replying, "N-no, he hasn't come home yet."
"Oh really? Huh, I wonder if they had to refuel the plane in Conklin before coming back to the city. But I'm sure he'll be home soon enough. We'll have to do a rain check for dinner another time. I'd better let you go and keep an eye on my wife. I'll talk to you later, Hinata."
After Konohamaru hung up, Hinata tried to brush aside the insecure thoughts and emotions that were suddenly consuming her. She had a feeling that Naruto should have been home by now, but the fact that he wasn't only caused more negative thoughts to cloud her mind.
He doesn't want to come home to us . . .
Hinata felt like she was on auto-pilot for the next few hours. She didn't bother preparing the steaks but instead simply turned the potato salad and garlic shrimp into their full supper. So many times she wanted to text or call Naruto to see if he was okay, but fear stopped her from doing so. What if he didn't pick up? Or if she sent a text, it would show that he had read it but wouldn't respond. Or what if . . .
The last thought Hinata tried to ban from her mind, and she continuously told herself that Naruto would never stoop so low to be unfaithful to her.
By the time Hinata fully came back to her senses, it was almost 9pm. The children were now fast asleep in their cribs while she finished tidying up the kitchen. Her phone was completely silent, aside from the odd text message from her sister letting Hinata know that she was okay and asking how dinner went with Naruto; she had yet to respond to that last message.
When the last of the dishes were put away, and the leftovers tucked into the back of the fridge, Hinata slowly started to make her way upstairs to her bedroom. On her journey, she would begin to turn off the lights while her pale eyes drank in the numerous amount of family pictures that decorated their home, each of them telling illustrating the different chapters they had experienced together. Hinata paused when she reached the top of the stairs, where the vast portrait of their wedding was staring directly at her. She stared at their smiling faces, and before Hinata could stop it, tears once again started to slip down her cheeks.
She took a seat on the top step and curled herself into a ball before letting out the emotions she had been trying to hide. Hinata buried her face into her knees and attempted to quiet the sounds of her sobs.
How could I have let things get this bad between us? Why didn't I try harder? Why did I have to snap at him over the littlest of things?
Hinata would have given up anything in the world to feel her husband's strong arms wrapped around her right now. She craved for his touch and affection. She wanted to hear his voice and see his handsome face.
"I-I'm sorry, Naruto . . . I'm so sorry . . . please come back home . . .please . . ." Hinata sobbed quietly against her hands.
Hinata wasn't sure how long she sat there on the steps crying and begging her husband to come home to no one but the empty house and her sleeping children.
After what felt like an eternity, Hinata checked her phone one last time to see there were still no messages from him. Feeling completely empty and drained, she finally stood up and headed to bed.
0000000000
Naruto hated flying home on the evening of a long weekend. The airports were always busier than expected, and their smaller flights were always pushed to the side to make way for the larger planes. Usually, they would land and arrive at one of the smaller airport terminals; however, due to construction, they had to use the main international airport terminal.
He had already had a stressful shift, but the mental load he was carrying only grew with being placed on a later flight and having one of the worst flight attendants ever. Naruto initially thought taking one of the smaller planes back that seated only ten people would be a luxury. Spaced out seating, more leg room, alcohol offered with their snacks. On the surface, it had sounded like a sweet deal, but all of that came turning on its head with the single flight attendant they had. Naruto wasn't usually one to call women names, but this one he was pretty confident was the rudest bitch he had ever met.
Can't even have a conversation with anyone here without her snapping at you for being too loud. And hell, I thought Sasuke was going to lose it when he ordered his drink, and she suddenly accused him of looking at her legs. I almost wanted the plane to crash to put us all out of our misery . . .
Even when the plane had landed, and they were waiting for a gate to open, the bitch had been very strict that none of them could use their phones, or she threatened to call security on them. Naruto had first thought it was a joke, but one of the older operators had whispered to him that she was, in fact, not kidding and had precisely done it to someone three shifts ago.
As the minutes ticked by, Naruto kept wondering if Hinata was worried about him. He was supposed to have supper with her, the kids, Hanabi and Konohamaru; however, if things kept going as they were, he would miss the dinner entirely.
Finally, after waiting for over an hour, they pulled up to the gate and were able to get off the flight from hell. The first thing Naruto did was turn on his phone while making his way toward the baggage carousel. It was 8pm, and he was expecting to see a large number of messages and calls from his wife.
But there was none.
He felt a lump form in his throat, along with the invisible, stabbing pain in his heart that she didn't seem concerned about where he was. While attempting to take a deep, quivering breath, Naruto scrolled through his contacts and was about to call Hinata to see if everything was alright, but just as he was about to hit the green call button, he found his finger hesitant to push it.
What if she yells at me for being late? I've had such a lousy day . . . I don't know if I can handle any more criticism right now . . .
Pressing his lips together, Naruto sighed and placed his phone back into his pocket before heading down the escalator to get his bags.
After bidding Sasuke farewell and telling him to have a good night with Sakura and his daughter, Naruto headed towards his truck and sat in the driver's seat for what seemed like hours. He knew he just couldn't stay put in the parking lot, but the thought of just going home to an angry wife wasn't appealing either. So instead, he went to a local bar that was only a five-minute drive from his house and decided to have a few beers to calm him down. Even though the bar was loud from the game going on, Naruto couldn't help but enjoy the relaxing atmosphere while having a few cold ones by himself. No co-workers to bother him, or a wife to look at him with disappointment.
While sometimes he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he knew damn well that things were not great between him and Hinata, especially over the last four months. Many of his co-workers had tried to warn him that change was inevitable once children came into the picture and Naruto. And while he had hoped that things wouldn't change drastically between the two of them, in reality, he felt like their relationship was almost on the brink of being unrepairable.
Hinata was an amazing mother. He didn't know how she was able to keep up with both the kids and the housework, but every time he came home to his family, he was so proud of her for staying on top of everything. Not to mention her patience with their children. Sometimes both of them would scream or cry for different reasons, and Naruto could only tolerate it for an hour at most. But Hinata was with them all day, every day, seven days a week.
He had tried many times to give her a break from the kids. However, it either ended with them wanting nothing to do with him and screaming for their mother, or he would do something that they didn't like at all.
Naruto recalled one particular morning he had attempted to help with breakfast while letting Hinata try to get a few more minutes of sleep. He had made Boruto peanut butter toast and Himawari baby cereal. However, it had ended in complete disaster. Neither of the kids wanted to eat what he made, and the heated glare that Hinata had given him caused Naruto to retreat to the basement for a bit.
While he did try and help, it was never good enough for his wife. He always did something wrong, or it wasn't up to her expectations. In his mind, it was so easy to throw Hinata under the bus and blame all of their problems on her. She was the one that was too busy being a mother and not paying any attention to him. She was the one who could let go of a little bit of control and let him help around the house. She was the one who was always tired at the end of the night and didn't want anything to do with him.
But . . .
I know damn well that's not the case at all . . . not even close . . .
Marriage was a two-way street, and Naruto knew that while Hinata did have some contributions to the troubles in their relationship, he was just as guilty.
How many times has Hinata told me that Boruto isn't a fan of peanut butter yet? Or that Himawari needs a pouch of puree mixed in with her cereal so that she'll eat it? Or that any load of laundry involving the kid's clothes needs to be on Heavy Duty; otherwise, the stains won't all come out? I know all of this. I've known this shit for months! And yet I . . . I . . .
While Hinata may have gotten lost in her role as a mother, he had gotten lost in his own role as being the father and provider for the household. If there was ever a chance for overtime or an extra shift, he always took it. Not because he didn't like seeing his family or spending time with them, but he had it drilled in his head that he was the one that needed to work hard for the family. Boruto and Himawari were very young right now, but Naruto felt that his children would love to do extra-curricular activities in the future, and he needed to make sure the funds were there. Perhaps Boruto would like to play soccer or Himawari gymnastics.
Most times, he would get so lost in his own head that mundane tasks he knew off by heart were easily screwed up by him not paying attention. Of course, his wife was going to get irritated at him for messing up laundry for the tenth time.
And then there was the biggest issue of all . . .
Their love life.
Naruto wished he could throw the blame at Hinata for this one. That it was because she was tired all the time that they didn't have a good sex life.
But no.
This issue was almost, ultimately, entirely his fault, and he knew it.
The first time Hinata had given birth, they hadn't been able to have sex for almost a month. But, even though she had been tired with Boruto waking up in the middle of the night, she still tried to help him in any way she could until her body had fully healed. So while the doctor had given them the clearance to have sex right away, Sasuke had suggested that he wait a little longer. At first, he didn't understand what his best friend had meant, but after waiting three weeks and attempting to have sex for the first time, the painful expression on Hinata's face was something he could never forget. Her body was still extremely sensitive, both inside and out, especially her breasts. He could remember a night vividly when Bortuo had gone to bed quickly, and he had come up behind Hinata to playfully grab her breasts. He hadn't meant to squeeze them too hard, but the painful cry she had let out caused him to immediately stop touching her.
The good news was that after another week, they had been able to have sex again, and he only had to be mindful of how roughly he touched her breasts. But then, just a few months before Boruto had turned one, Hinata told him she was pregnant again.
At first, he had been happy and ecstatic by the news. He had voiced his desire to have a large family with her and that he wanted all their children to be close together in age. So hearing that the next one would be twenty months apart from Boruto was fantastic in his mind.
And for a while, everything had been great between them.
But then the birth of his daughter had arrived.
Himawari had been over a week late, and even after being induced with a Pitocin drip, Hinata still hadn't gone into labour. While that had already been nerve-wracking, seeing his wife and daughter's heart rate dropping drastically on the monitor had scared him to death. Within seconds he had scrubs thrown at him and told that they needed to perform an emergency C-section before they lost the baby. Both of them were terrified as she was wheeled down the hallway towards the operating room, but once they arrived, Naruto thought everything would be fine now that they were there.
He couldn't have been more wrong.
At one point, they lost Himawari's heartbeat, Hinata had passed out on the table, and he had almost been forced out of the operating room. It had been a long time since Naruto had been tempted to punch somebody, and the male nurse trying to push him out had been awfully close to having his lights knocked out.
In the end, his daughter was born healthy, and Hinata was fine, only needing to take it easy for the next six weeks while she recovered. However, the haunting memory of almost losing the woman he loved was not something he could simply get rid of. While the doctor at the hospital had told them it would be fine to try for another child after Himawari turned one, he had gotten a different story from one of the nurses who had pulled him aside while Hinata had been assisted to the bathroom to get her catheter out. She had not only scolded him for getting Hinata pregnant with their second child while the first was only eleven months old, but that if he really cared for his wife, he would have to wait at least two years or risk the chance of killing her.
Naruto had tried to brush the nurse's comments aside and not worry about it at all, but in reality, it was something he thought about every single time they attempted to make love. Moreover, since Hinata was still breastfeeding, she wasn't on birth control, and that meant if they did have sex, she was at a high risk of getting pregnant with their third child.
As much as he wanted to try for another baby, Naruto was at least smart enough to know that now was not the time, but it also brought on a dilemma with their sex life.
It's been forty-eight days since I last made love to Hinata. I'm so scared she'll get pregnant again, but at the same time, it's not the same when she just helps me with her hands or her mouth or when I put on a condom. I hate wearing those fucking things. I want to do it with her so badly, but I also don't want to hurt her either. The last time I could tell she was still in pain, even though she tried to act like everything was okay. It also doesn't help that she's so self-conscious about how her body looks right now. She doesn't even want to make love with the lights on anymore . . .
It was almost to the point now that Naruto was scared that the moment he walked through the door and saw his wife, he would jump her right then and there. His self-control was now down to nothing, and he could no longer hold back.
While it did seem obvious that all they needed to do was talk things over, Naruto wasn't sure if Hinata was willing to listen to him anymore. If the two of them were at least fighting or yelling at each other, he would feel more at ease that he still had a fighting chance to save his marriage. But with how quiet Hinata had been around him lately, it felt like she no longer wanted to talk or say anything to him.
With a long sigh, Naruto downed his second beer before glancing at his phone to see that it was now 10pm.
Hinata and the kids are for sure in bed right now. Probably best if I keep my truck parked outside and sleep in one of the spare rooms so I don't disturb them.
As he reached for his wallet to pay the tab, Naruto looked at his phone one more time and realized that he hadn't received a message or email for the last two hours. His phone was unusually quiet since he was always receiving texts from his friends or emails from work.
His eyebrows scrunched together, and that's when he noticed the small airplane image in the top left corner of his phone.
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!? I'VE HAD IT ON AIRPLANE MODE THIS ENTIRE TIME!?
Rolling his eyes at his own stupidity, Naruto let out an angry groan and turned the cell service to his phone back on. Instantly it began to chime and vibrate with countless messages, voicemails and emails. However, he ignored most of them as he waited to at least see one message or phone call from his wife.
It wasn't until the very end, when his phone was finished updating, that he saw Hinata had sent one text message around 9:30pm.
Are you coming home tonight?
Another frustrated groan left his lips, and Naruto wanted nothing more than to start banging his head against the bar.
I need to get home right now! Hinata might still be up, and maybe we can talk.
As Naruto paid the bartender, he immediately headed towards his truck, but stopped when his hand fell on the door handle.
Fuck me . . . I don't even know what to say or do about the situation between us. So what's the best way to go about this?
While slowly climbing into his truck, Naruto started to go through a list of the people in his life that he could talk to about this. Jiraiya was certainly no help, and he didn't want to tell his parents that he was having problems with his marriage. Konohamaru was only just going through his first pregnancy experience with Hanabi. And Kakashi was out of the question, along with a bunch of his friends who didn't have a wife or children.
Blue eyes widened when he suddenly realized who he could rely on for advice in this situation. Grabbing his phone and scrolling through his contacts, Naruto hit the call button on the one person who could help get him out of this mess.
"Good evening, Kenji Sarutobi speaking; how can I help you?"
"Kenji, it's me, Naruto. Look, I'm in a bit of a pickle, and I really need some advice."
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Pale violet eyes slowly opened to the morning sunlight creeping through the curtains of the master bedroom window. Hinata blinked a few times and remained absolutely motionless as she took in the sounds around her. There was no crying from either of her children and with how rested she felt, it meant that she had a least gotten a decent amount of sleep.
Slowly she sat up while keeping an eye on the crib in the corner of their room as if expecting Himawari to wake up at any moment. Hinata wasn't sure what time it was, but since her alarm hadn't gone off, it was some time before 7am.
As she stood up, Hinata glanced over her shoulder to see if Naruto had joined her in bed last night. But the spot beside her was empty and cold; she bit her lip with disappointment
Either he's asleep in one of the spare bedrooms . . . or he didn't come home . . .
She had cried herself to sleep last night, and even though the sadness she felt then was back, there were no more tears for her to shed. Taking in a shaky breath, Hinata thought it was best to have a quick shower before the chaos of the day began.
Her feet padded softly across the carpet towards the master bathroom, and she quietly closed the door behind her. After turning on the hot water, Hinata began to pull her pyjamas off, but when her pale eyes fell on the mirror nearby, she froze completely upon seeing her reflection. While she had done everything in her power to work the baby weight off, there were still obvious signs of bearing a child that Hinata could not get rid of. The stretch marks across her stomach and hips, the stretchiness of her skin, and the long scar across her lower abdomen from the surgery.
Hinata couldn't deny that, for the most part, she was proud of the changes to her body. It was evidence that she had borne two beautiful children; however, she felt that in the eyes of her husband, he probably found her new marks and body unattractive.
Turning away from the mirror, she was about to step into the shower, but her hip bumped the hair dryer sitting on the vanity. Hinata watched in slow motion as it fell towards the tiled floor, and all she could do was close her eyes and wince as it landed with a loud thud.
She let out a tired sigh and prepared for the high-pitched wailing of her daughter being woken up.
But there was no crying.
Hinata waited a bit longer to see if her Himawari was awake, but as the seconds ticked by, it seemed as if her little girl was still asleep.
But . . . I'd better check on her just to be sure.
Turning the shower off momentarily, Hinata slipped on her silk house robe and poked her head out into the bedroom. There was still no crying from either of her children, but Hinata thought it was still better to quickly check on her daughter.
She tip-toed towards the crib and expected to see Himawari still sleeping peacefully. But the colour drained from Hinata's face, and her blood ran cold upon seeing that her daughter was not in her crib. Hinata started to hyperventilate, and she immediately began to search the room for her baby girl, but there was no sign of her.
"Boruto . . ." she whispered and immediately bolted to her son's room. Had he somehow gotten his sister out of her crib? Even though he was just barely two?
When she opened the door, Hinata gasped when she didn't see Boruto sleeping in his toddler bed. Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she was on the verge of letting out a terrified scream.
"No no no no no, where are they?" she asked herself in a high-pitched whisper.
Hinata couldn't think straight, and the only logical thought she could cling to was to check downstairs before she completely lost it and called the police.
Have my babies been kidnapped? Is this really happening right now?
She moved as fast as she could out of her son's room and down the stairs, but when she reached the bottom, Hinata was completely surprised at the sight before her.
Naruto was in the kitchen softly humming to himself while wiping down the high chair that Boruto always sat in. Her pale eyes darted around the kitchen, dining room and living room, but there was still no sign of their children. Hinata's heart was thundering in her chest, and she prayed to any god that was listening that her husband knew where they were.
"N-Naruto?" she called out gently.
The man she loved turned around and gave her a big, welcoming smile, "Good morning, Hinata. Did you sleep well? I was just about to make myself some coffee. Did you want some too? Or do you want me to tap the kettle so you can have some tea?"
Hinata slowly made her way toward her husband. "I-I don't know. Where are the kids?"
Naruto pulled out a coffee filter and began to fill it with dark roasted grinds, "My mom and dad have them for the day. Himawari woke up around 6:30am, and I fed her one of the bottles in the fridge. The little man was up shortly after that, and I got him some breakfast; he ate all of his grapes, jam toast and milk. Oh, I stole your phone too; I didn't want your alarm waking you up." He pointed to her electronic device that was sitting on the island. "I then packed the diaper bag with everything they should need for the day, and then my mom came and got them. She called me this morning and really wanted to spend time with them, and I figured you were in need of a well-deserved break. Oh, and my mom borrowed your van, but she left her car here in case you needed to go out and do errands if I wasn't around. She said that either she would bring them back before bedtime, or if it was okay with you, the kids could have a sleepover at their house."
As Naruto told her all this, Hinata found herself slowly making her way towards the island in the kitchen and sitting down, so she was across from her husband. "Oh . . . I see."
He kept his back to her while making his coffee, and Hinata couldn't help but notice the awkward tension between them. It had been so long since the two of them were together, probably not since Himawari was born. She tightened the silk robe around her before asking, "So, when did you get home last night?"
Her husband paused from grabbing a mug from the cupboard, and she was scared that he wouldn't tell her anything, but he turned around and gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Hinata. I didn't get home till around midnight. Things were really hectic at work, my flight was late, and by the time I left the airport, it was almost 8:30pm. I also just wanted a little time for myself, so I sopped by the Coach House for a couple of beers."
Hinata frowned. "Why didn't you call me?"
Naruto returned her frown, "I'd say that's the same question I want to ask you. Once I got off the plane, I didn't see any messages or calls from you either."
She stiffened in her seat, and Hinata hated to admit that she had been extremely childish last night. "I-I . . . was wanting to hear from you first. You've come home late before, and you usually seem irritated if I question where you've been."
Now it was Naruto's turn to look guilty, and his eyes shifted down. "Ah, y-yeah, I guess I have done that before, haven't I?"
Hinata nodded, and an uncomfortable silence fell over them.
When did things become so awkward between us? With the children gone, you would think both of us would be happy for the small break, and yet . . .
"Hinata, can we talk? Please? I know this one discussion isn't going to fix all the problems between us, but I feel like it would be a good start." Naruto asked her with a desperate plea in his voice.
Hearing that he wanted to talk was a relief, but it also made her uncomfortable as well. It wasn't easy to admit when you were wrong or that there were problems in their marriage. However, silently hoping that these issues would figure themselves out or go away clearly wasn't working for either of them.
Hinata locked eyes with her husband, and she could tell that he was serious and anxiously awaiting her answer. As if he were terrified that she didn't want to have a conversation with him. "I would actually really like that, Naruto."
Her husband looked highly relieved when she said that, and Hinata saw his genuine, happy smile for the first time in months. "Great! C-can we start right now? I know you probably have chores to do around the house, but they can wait, right?"
She couldn't deny that there was a load of laundry to be put in the washer, the bathrooms really needed to be cleaned, and also a long list of other things as well, but Naruto was right; all of that could wait for the time being.
Right now, I need to tell him everything that's been on my plate for the last few months.
Hinata reached forward and wrapped her fingers around Naruto's larger hand. "Yes. Let's talk right now."
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Naruto couldn't remember the last time he and Hinata had sat down to have a legitimate long conversation. If he had to take a guess, probably the week before their wedding. All the planning was done, the decorations complete, and it was just the waiting game until the day before the ceremony. They had collapsed on their couch to take a break and had started talking about the future. The 'what ifs' they thought might happen, how many children they would try for, baby names, possible vacation destinations, the list went on.
He couldn't deny that sitting down to talk with Hinata was extremely nerve-wracking. There were so many negative thoughts swirling around his head that he was finding it hard to find one positive reason that Hinata was still in love with him. He honestly thought he had ruined his chances, but according to Kenji, what they were going through as a couple was completely normal.
"First of all, you need to calm down, Naruto. In all honesty, things could be a lot worse right now. At least you and Hinata are still talking to each other and not sleeping in separate bedrooms. But it's good to nip this in the butt immediately because four months of this is not healthy for either of you. All you got to do is speak from the heart, let her know your worries and concerns, and I know she'll understand. Arisa and I went through a similar phase when our boys were that young; it happens to every married couple. The best advice I can give you is to start the conversation in a positive light. Tell her all the great things you love about her and how she's a good mom. Then after you've said all that, you start to chip away the things that need to get fixed."
And that is precisely what Naruto did.
He started off by saying how much he loved her and what a fantastic mother she was to their beautiful children. Naruto continued on by saying how proud he was that she was able to keep up with all the household chores, keep their bookkeeping in order and not to mention still helping out her father and uncle from home some evenings with small issues at the main office. Then, he brought up the topics that had been bothering him over the last few months.
His wife listened intently to everything he had to say, her hand never leaving his.
When he was done, Hinata took a moment to absorb everything he had said. Then, she began apologizing for all the times she had snapped at him, didn't pay any attention to him, and everything else in between.
Tears then started to slip down his wife's cheeks, and he tightly embraced her, letting Hinata know that he still loved her and would never let her go.
After her tears slowed down a bit, it was her turn to get everything off her chest. However, she followed the same concept as he had. Hinata explained all the reasons she loved him, was thankful that he was a great provider who allowed her to stay home with the kids, and that he was an amazing father. But then it was her turn to bring up all the issues that had bothered her.
In the end, they both concluded that they had completely ignored their responsibilities as a couple. They were both masters at being a mother and father, a provider and a housewife, but at the core of it all, they were also still husband and wife.
He was her man, and she was his woman.
And for the last six months, they had utterly let the passionate fire burn low between them.
There was no flirting, affectionate touches, loving kisses . . .
"I think what we need to do is at least have a date night once a month. Just you and me. Either your family can take them or my parents can for one evening. Then, we can go out for dinner, a movie, or we can even just stay here in the house like we are now." Naruto offered, wrapping his arm tighter around his wife.
The two of them had moved from the kitchen to the couch, sitting side by side while holding onto one another.
Hinata snuggled closer to him. "Agreed. We definitely need a break from the kids once in a while."
"Don't ever be afraid to call my parents for help either, Hinata. If I'm not here and they're being too much for you, just ring my mom up, and she'll be here in a millisecond." Naruto lightly scolded. He didn't want Hinata to rely on her family only, especially if she needed a break.
His wife frowned. "I know I should. I just feel bad for calling her when she and your dad are on their days off. It takes them twenty minutes to get here and . . ."
Naruto squeezed her a little tighter, "Doesn't matter. If you need a break, you need a break. I'd much rather my mom drive an hour to help you for a bit than hear that you've been crying because the kids won't stop screaming. And like I said, my mom is always ecstatic to watch her grandkids."
"I'll be sure to do that from now on."
He pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "And I'll stop volunteering to work all the long shifts and just stick to my regular schedule. Then, once things slow down, I'll try and book one off so I can spend some quality time with just you and the kids. Also, I'll stop checking my emails during the day when I'm home with you guys and only check them at night. That should be a good start, I think, right?"
Hinata smiled. "Yes. I think that is a good start."
Naruto let out a sigh of relief and tilted his head back to look up at the high ceiling. "I guess . . . I guess all that's left to address is the lack of, well, intimacy between us."
It was Hinata's turn to let out a sigh, and her arms wrapped tighter around him, "I know you're worried about me getting pregnant, but I have been tracking my cycles even though I'm not on birth control right now. You know you can trust me when I tell you it's a safe day, right?"
Naruto frowned, "Of course I trust you, Hinata! It's just, I don't want to risk you . . ."
"You should have told me that day what that nurse said to you. She was completely overstepping her boundaries." Hinata interrupted him with a rather cold tone in her voice. "I can't believe she told you something like that. Had I known that, I probably would have given her a piece of my mind while we were in the hospital with Himawari."
"But Hinata, do you have any idea how scared and freaked out I was? I was pretty sure I had lost my wife and daughter for a solid five minutes. So can you blame me for not wanting to take a chance?"
Hinata gave him a light nudge with her head. "No, I don't blame you for that. I just wish you would have told me much sooner. All this time, I thought you didn't find me attractive . . . and that you hated how my body looks right . . ."
Now it was his turn to cut her off, his hand slipping down to squeeze her ass, "I will ALWAYS find you attractive. Even when we're in our seventies and eighties or even our nineties, I'm still going to want to ravish you! In fact, you're lucky I've mastered my self-control; otherwise, I'd be taking advantage of our alone time right here and now on this couch!"
His wife giggled softly and gently pulled back from him a bit, which gave him a better view of her body. "Oh, I'm sure. I mean, just look at this, sexy isn't it?"
Naruto knew she was joking and trying to be funny. Her hair was a complete mess and tangled from not being brushed, and the silk robe she had on was quite old; he could see the odd hole and frays on the material. However, the only thing he could see was the woman he loved and adored, "Of course you're sexy right now. You're always sexy to me, Hinata. Even when you've been nine months pregnant with swollen feet. I'll always want you."
Hinata started to lean her head closer to his while whispering, "And I'll always want you too."
It wasn't an erotic or passionate kiss.
It was a kiss full of promises to come.
It was a kiss to show that they still cherished and loved each other.
And it was a kiss that both of them had been yearning for over the last six months.
When his wife pulled back, Naruto couldn't help the soft whine that left his throat from the loss of contact. He didn't want them to stop.
"The house chores can wait till tomorrow. So what should we do today?" Hinata asked him with a sincere smile on her face. "It's really nice out; we could go for a walk or a bike ride."
Naruto smiled, "Any of those things sounds great to me. But we should probably get dressed. You can have a shower first if you like. I should at the very least empty my suitcase from work and put all my dirty clothes in the laundry room. Otherwise, it's going to smell like sweat and dirt for a week."
Hinata looked a little disappointed by what he said, but before he could ask her about it, she agreed and started to head toward the stairs. His first instinct was to follow after and perhaps join her for a shower, but . . .
I know that she could use some alone time. She doesn't have to rush to get out of the shower to tend to the children. So I'll leave her be for right now, and just empty . . .
But when his wife reached the top of the stairs, she called down to him. "Naruto?"
"Yes, love?"
Her hands suddenly undid the tie on the robe, and with a simple shrug of the shoulders, Hinata stood there completely naked for him to see. His mouth fell open in a silent 'O'.
With complete confidence in her voice, she said, "It's a safe day for me today. So, take that information as you will."
Hinata turned and made her way towards their bedroom with Naruto not far behind her after flying up the stairs three steps at a time.
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She placed a gentle kiss on her sleeping daughter's cheek while humming a soft lullaby. The room was almost completely dark, aside from the small sound/light machine by Himawari's crib, which was meant to help her sleep through the night. Although, Hinata was pretty sure it put Naruto to sleep more than their baby girl.
When she was certain her little girl was asleep, Hinata gently laid her down in the crib, paused for a second to ensure she was sleeping, and then slowly started to tip toe away. Once the door was closed behind her, Hinata let out a thankful sigh before making her way toward Boruto's room.
"Do you like green eggs and ham? I do not like them, Sam-I-am. I do not like green eggs and ham!"
Hinata stifled a giggle as she listened in on Naruto reading their son a bedtime story. Usually, it was something she did during their bedtime ritual, but her husband was so good at putting energy behind the stories and changing his voice when reading different characters. Her heart fluttered when she heard Boruto let out a little giggle and say Ham! Ham!', followed by her husband laughing along with him.
She briefly stood outside her son's room for a moment so she could listen in on the story, but then decided it was best to let Naruto have some one-on-one time with Boruto. Even though it was way past his bedtime, Hinata decided for once not to worry about sticking to a schedule and just let her husband have fun with their little boy.
Hinata quietly made her way downstairs, where she finished tidying up the kitchen from their supper, along with making sure the children's toys were decently put away or at least not out in the open for someone to step on.
While things weren't one hundred percent fixed between her and Naruto, Hinata still felt extremely happy. However, repairing their relationship wasn't going to be easy, especially with some of the bad habits they had fallen into.
But, it would be worth all the time and energy to make things right for the love of her life.
And one of those habits she wanted to discontinue tonight.
Once the kids were in bed, usually Hinata would tidy the house and go to bed herself. However, while she was tired from the day, there was still a man who would be joining her soon that deserved a little bit of her undivided attention.
A blush spread across her cheeks as she recalled their intimate moment in the shower earlier in the morning. However, while their lovemaking session had been amazing, Hinata still wanted more. She had missed her husband so much, and she was craving his touch like she had when Naruto had travelled to Australia.
The main issue that always held Hinata back was that their room also occupied their sleeping daughter, making sex a topic not up for discussion.
However . . . there was more than one bedroom and plenty of other spaces in their house where they could do the devils tango.
Naruto quietly walked down the stairs and joined her in the dining room where she was picking up a few toys that Boruto had thrown. "Alright, Boruto is fast asleep."
Hinata smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."
"I know you're tired, but what do you say we watch a movie either in the living room or downstairs? Perhaps a comedy? I'm sure the two of us could use a good laugh." Naruto suggested while stretching his arms above his head.
She hummed in agreeance and grabbed the baby monitor off the counter to take downstairs with them just in case either of the children woke up.
"That does sound good. But, would you mind if we played a little game of pool first? I'm pretty sure the billiard table has been gathering dust over the last bit."
Naruto laughed, "Probably not since January when we had everyone over. But, sure, that sounds good. Want me to grab you a glass of wine from the fridge while I snag a beer?"
Hinata shook her head and smiled mischievously, "No thanks. If I'm going to beat you at 'Strip Billiards', I need to make sure my focus I clear and on point. Otherwise, you might win for once."
His blue eyes widened, and his mouth was wide open again as he watched her walk towards the basement stairs before quickly following after her with a pleased grin on his face.
"Oh ho, is that so? Well, you better prepare yourself, little lady. This is going to be one hell of a game then." Naruto whispered playfully as he fell in step right behind her, his hand reaching out to give her bottom a firm grasp.
"Good. I'm counting on it." Hinata teased back, stopping momentarily so she could rub her cheeks against his groin.
"Dear god woman, you're in trouble now . . ." Naruto growled as they disappeared down into the basement.
While Hinata had always been told the basement was soundproof, she could never prove that it actually was. However, after that night, either it was one hundred percent soundproof, or their children had suddenly gone deaf.
In the afterglow of their lovemaking, Hinata whispered to her husband, "Naruto, thank you for being you. For sharing your love with me, and for inspiring me to accept myself. I love you so much."
She could feel Naruto smile against her neck, and he replied, "Hinata, you fill the emptiness in my heart, and I'm so thankful to have you in my life. I love you too."
Hinata smiled, and even though they had done it twice already on the billiard table, she sensuously asked him, "One more time?"
"Always," Naruto replied seductively. "I will always want you one more time, and then one more time after that. I'll never grow tired of you."
They met for a tender kiss before again giving in to the passion between them that would never disappear.
You may think the spark between you has gone, but there are so many ways to reignite it. All you have to do is try.
Fin.
Author Note: A huge thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story. I greatly appreciate you all, and thanks for everything.
Leave a review and let me know what you thought!