2 Nindō 0002: Return

In an empty oval-shaped room, hung multiple portraits, counting to six, each containing the distinctive images of the previous six Hokage, starting from the first to the sixth. Lit by the rays of the sun that came in from the large window behind, sat the seventh Hokage on his desk which contained four huge stacks of papers that required a special chakra paperweight to prevent them from toppling down to the ground.

Naruto's eyes opened abruptly as he raised his head from the desk, sitting up. His pupils constricted, eyes getting used to the brightly lit room. An audible sigh escaped his lips, reverberating through the silence. "Kurama." That single word contained many complex emotions.

[Naruto … What exactly did you just do?] Unlike the others, Kurama was literally connected to him, both physically and spiritually. The fox was able to peruse through his memories and the new addition left it completely shocked and horrified.

"Another chance, partner. I thought that leaving it to the younger generation was for the best, but apparently not," Naruto said, "How do you feel?"

[I just saw myself turning to dust after we used the Baryon. It feels great.] The growl of his fox partner made Naruto chuckle.

"I've missed having you talk in my head, old friend," Naruto said with a smile, "It has truly been a long time."

[Yeah? How does it feel to be older than even me, huh? By an exponential factor at that. Even though you didn't technically age, you've experienced countless eternities.]

Kurama's question had a wry smile appear on Naruto's face, "I'd rather not talk about it. I would honestly like to enjoy some of the appreciation toward life that comes with mortality for now. Until things undoubtedly get hectic once again."

Kurama didn't say anything more, merely grunting in response before delving into Naruto's memories, curious as to what all his host and partner had experienced.

"Shikamaru," Naruto called, his voice enhanced by his chakra to reach his Chief Aide as he narrowed his eyes, "Can you come in for a moment?"

"It's good to hear my own voice again," He spoke to Kurama with a derisive chuckle while waiting for the head of the Nara clan to enter his office, "That void was nothing but silence."

[That void was more than just silence.] Kurama said and Naruto remained quiet, allowing the fox to see what he had gone through in that paradoxical state of existence.

"Do you need something, Naruto?" Shikamaru entered his office with a lazy expression.

"Yes," Naruto said already having made the hand sign to create a single shadow clone, "I have something important that I need to take care of. I'm leaving a shadow clone here. The rest is up to you." With a poof, a carbon copy of Naruto appeared. Before Shikamaru could even say anything, Naruto told him, "I'll be off." With that, Naruto disappeared from his spot.

The man was left looking at the shadow clone as he shook his head, "What a drag..." He attributed Naruto's disappearance to the man's insane speed, treating it calmly as a normal occurrence.

…

Naruto silently appeared in his living room — like a ninja — and saw his clone sitting on a bar stool on the island as Hinata had her back turned to it while stirring a pot of some food. Smelling the delicious scent of a familiar meal, Naruto felt lost. He snapped his fingers, dispelling the clone as it disappeared with a poof, and threw his Hokage cloak at the coat hanger at the corner of the room.

Hinata sighed audibly with disappointment, "Naruto-kun …" She turned her head, expecting the seat that the clone was previously sitting on to be empty. The seat was indeed empty, but Naruto was standing behind it, frozen in his place as he looked at his wife's face showing an expression other than the one full of grief and sadness that he had been looking at for eternities.

Hinata raised a brow while looking at Naruto, "Naruto-kun you're home early … Is everything okay?" She asked while approaching him, walking around the kitchen island that was in between them.

The blonde, whiskered man had a small, silly smile on his face as his wife approached him, showing one of the cutest expressions he'd ever seen her make. As the mother of two was at an arm's length from him, Naruto extended both arms and enveloped Hinata in his embrace before she could say anything. Her yelp was followed by Naruto hugging her tightly as she felt her face pressing against his neck.

"Naruto-kun …" Feeling herself blushing in the same way that she used to when she was a teenager, Hinata shyly raised her arms and rested them on Naruto's back and rested her head on his shoulder, "Did something happen, Naruto-kun?" She asked as she felt Naruto placing his face right beside hers, resting his chin on her shoulder. He seemed to sniff her hair and take in her presence while tightly hugging her, only making her feel more conscious.

'I don't smell weird right? My short hair is easier to manage … I should've—' She was spiraling into her thoughts when Naruto's voice broke that trance.

"Say my name again, my Hinata," Naruto said with a tone of wanting and warmth, "I just missed hearing your voice."

"N-Naruto-kun," Hinata's voice came with a tremble as the shy side of her personality took control over her, her blush taking over her features.

"Tou-chan!" Himawari's voice broke the warm atmosphere between the husband and wife as Hinata suppressed her shyness and pushed Naruto away. Or at least, she tried to do it. His arms refused to budge as he pulled back from her shoulder and looked into her pure white eyes with a warm and happy smile.

"Stay like this," He said to her before turning his head to look at his daughter who barely reached up to his waist, "My Hima!" Naruto said happily, "Come to Tou-chan!" He kept one arm around Hinata and extended the other toward Himawari who slowly walked to him, "Hurry up!" Naruto felt impatient and hurried Himawari.

"Tou-chan is impatient," She said as her steps got faster, quickly reaching Naruto who wrapped his arm around her.

"Of course," He said, tightening both arms and pulling Hinata as well as Himawari closer to himself, "Tou-chan missed you, dattebayo."

"Naruto-kun," Hinata looked up at him with warm eyes, "You're slipping back into your tic."

"It's fine," He smiled before looking down at Himawari, "Come on up, Hima." He said before bending his knees, wrapping an arm under his daughter, and pulling her up off her feet. She yelped and quickly grabbed onto both her parents, one arm around Hinata's neck and the other around Naruto's neck.

"Tou-chan came home early today," Himawari said, "Did you bring a gift for me?" She looked into his eyes as he held her up.

"You mean to say that your Tou-chan isn't enough for you?" Naruto acted hurt and rubbed his nose on Himawari's cheek.

"No!" She huffed cutely, "You have to go and get me a gift." She said sternly.

"But I just came home," Naruto acted sadder, "How about I take you out shopping?" He asked her.

"Promise?" She asked, "You can't turn back on your word!" She said, blinking her large blue eyes at him.

"I promise, baby~" Naruto cooed before rubbing his nose on her neck, causing her to squeal and try to get away.

"No~" She resisted unsuccessfully against Naruto's grip.

"I'll make you some tea, dear," Hinata said, the blush on her face had receded as she appeared the same as a loving and virtuous wife in front of her daughter instead of the blushing teenager from before, 'What's gotten into Naruto-kun …' She couldn't understand, but the warmth and love that he was radiating made her feel happy and comfortable.

"No need," Naruto refused her, keeping his arm that was around her waist tight, "Hima, tell your kaa-san that she can't go anywhere right now. Hold on to her tightly and don't let her go, okay?"

Himawari hummed in agreement, "You can't go anywhere, kaa-san," She said while tightening her arms around both Naruto and Hinata.

[I thought you would've been teary-eyed by now.] Kurama taunted from inside Naruto.

[I don't want to burden Hinata with the knowledge of what I've been through, Kurama. I wish to spend some time giving her happiness before the shit-storm of the Ōtsutsuki starts.] Naruto told Kurama mentally.

"Dear," Hinata's voice came out as a little squeaky, "The food will burn … I have to stir the pot." She pulled back from the hug, albeit reluctantly.

"If you think that will make me let you go, then you're dead wrong, Hinata-chan," Naruto said cheekily, "I want to enjoy my wife and daughter's hug for a while and you can't make any excuse to escape."

"Yeah, you can't escape, Kaa-san," Himawari's agreement came quickly as she tightened her arms even further.

"That's my little girl," Naruto kissed Himawari's hair, making her giggle cutely.

"Tou-chan, I'm already ten," Himawari said.

"You'll always be daddy's little girl, no matter how old you get," Naruto said, "And you aren't even ten yet. Your birthday is tomorrow."

"It would've been better if you came back early tomorrow instead of today …" Himawari said pitifully, "Now you will be swamped with work tomorrow."

"Nonsense," Naruto said, "I took care of so much work to make some time for my family. And I also promised to take you shopping, didn't I?"

[Dumping all your most important work on Shikamaru does seem like a lot of effort.] Kurama snickered from inside.

Naruto ignored the demon fox that was speaking in his head as Himawari said to him, "Tou-chan is the best!" She exclaimed and tightened her arm around Naruto, even kissing his cheek shyly, melting Naruto's heart.

"No, my Hima is the best," Naruto nuzzled his face against hers, making her yelp. "Why don't you tell your kaa-chan to give me a kiss too? She's embarrassed and needs a little push, dattebayo."

"Your tic, Naruto-kun …" Hinata's cheeks had regained their blush as she tried her best to act casual and change the topic.

"It's fine, kaa-san," Himawari said, "You should show your love to Tou-san too. That way, he would want to come back early even more."

"My daughter is so smart~" Naruto cooed happily and kissed Himawari's cheek.

"Kaa-san, quick!" Himawari urged Hinata who could only smile helplessly to suppress her rising shyness.

'You've come a long way, Hinata! You can't show your daughter how you used to stutter in front of Naruto-kun.'

She hyped herself up before closing her eyes and slowly approaching Naruto's cheek. Seeing his wife's actions, Naruto felt some mischief rise and gave Himawari a look followed by a wink before turning his face toward Hinata.

Instead of kissing his cheek, she ended up meeting his lips as her eyes opened widely and her blush overtook her entire face, dying it red. She quickly pulled back, "In front of our daughter …" She chided shyly, barely holding herself back from stuttering.

"My Hima doesn't mind, does she?" Naruto asked while glancing at Himawari, who had her face turned away from both of them.

"Get a room," She said poutily as Naruto burst into laughter while Hinata buried her face in his black jacket, hiding herself from her daughter.

***

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