In the Hokage's Office | NaruSasu

19. Let Me Go

Sasuke slept in the woods that night Sakura kicked him out. He was kicked out even though he technically paid for the house. But Sasuke wasn't that petty and since he knew Sakura would be the primary guardian for their daughter he'd rather not have Sakura and Sarada live in a broke ass apartment since that was all she could afford anyway without his money.

As soon as he woke up he filed the divorce papers and their marriage was officially annulled. He could put all of it past him now. Sakura would be Sakura Haruno again, and he hoped she'd get rid of any of her clothing bearing the Uchiha symbol. He knew she would. He wouldn't be surprised to see her burn the clothes.

Sasuke found himself out of Naruto's office where he dropped off the papers. With nothing to do and honestly no where to go, his mind instinctively sought out Naruto. He honestly surprised himself sometimes with how infatuated he is with Naruto. Sasuke knew Naruto wasn't in his office but he wanted to see him. The only other likely place he could be was his home.

Sasuke did not want to go to Naruto's house. He didn't want to see Hinata and Boruto with Naruto. Naruto's two reasons for staying with them and potentially leaving him. Sasuke thought of seeing them as being a reminder that maybe he wasn't good enough for him. Although Sasuke had gotten out of his loveless marriage that didn't mean Naruto would. 

*

Naruto was in fact at his house. It has been more than 12 hours since telling Hinata he wanted a divorce. He was worried about her since the only thing she said was "okay." They were together for years really and it was just... 'okay' that Naruto wanted a divorce and to leave her alone. Naruto wanted her to say something. He didn't exactly want her to outright refuse the divorce papers or anything but maybe he wanted her to show more emotion over the whole ordeal. Do something more than just be compliant. Maybe that's another reason why he fell for Sasuke. Sasuke always said what was on his mind his remarks were always endearing in a way to him.

He wanted to hear what Hinata actually had to say. She always kept herself quite closed. Hinata knew pretty much everything about Naruto during the marriage. (except his long-time crush on Sasuke Uchiha.) There was no way she was just ok. No way she was just fine either. He didn't want to leave Hinata in a state of disarray. It would be his fault entirely. He felt obligated to help somehow but how?

"Hinata?" Naruto asked softly after he watched her sign the papers with her small neat handwriting. Hinata Uzumaki, but she'd be Hinata Hyuga by tomorrow again. "Are you alright?"

He could see her subtly shaking form. He couldn't exactly see her face, but Hinata was on the verge of tears. She took a deep breath and looked up at Naruto. Then he saw her glassy pale eyes and realized how affected she was. She wasn't ready to lose him but she knew it wasn't her choice anyway. But then Naruto asked her if she was alright. If she was alright? Of course she wasn't. Just brush it off, he's just being nice...he's being considerate.

"No Naruto. I'm not alright." Hinata's voice was the angriest Naruto has ever seen her. Was she angry or bitter was it directed at him? It had to be. He has known her for more than a decade but he's never encountered Hinata like this.

"My husband--" She took a shaky breath in between sort of regretting snapping at Naruto for a second but then continued, because she wanted him to hear this. Maybe she'd let herself say how she felt just once because there were no consequences to being true to her feelings anymore. She wasn't a child trying to appease everyone. This wouldn't damage her marriage because she didn't even have that anymore. "My husband cheated on me with his best friend. Then goes behind my back for --I don't even know how long-- and I get to have oh-such-a friendly conversation with the very man he cheated on me with! Not to mention I was already feeling inadequate the whole time I was married not to mention my entire life. But now my husband --sorry ex-husband--wants to throw me out because he never really loved me in the first place." She stopped when she couldn't breathe anymore. Saying all that intaking small breaths in between, sarcasm laced throughout her voice. She's never acted like this. Ever.

Needless to say, Naruto was taken by surprise at Hinata's words and scolded himself for asking if he was alright but to be honest this type of reaction was the last he had expected. He was thinking about how Hinata doesn't react or show her true feelings anyway and there she goes proving him wrong.

"I'm sorry." it was all he could say. He didn't know what else. Of course he always felt somewhat guilty about cheating on Hinata. But whenever he thought back on it, he wouldn't change it and didn't regret it. The time he spent with Sasuke was more valuable to him than anything else.

"Don't say that." She wasn't as angry anymore because she got that off of her chest. She was surprised at even herself for going that far, the words left her lips already before her brain could even process that she actually said them. She wasn't even angry at Naruto. She was angry at herself partially for the fact that for a while she actually believed she could be happy with him and that they were happy. "Don't say you're sorry Naruto. I know you love him and all I ever wanted was for you to be happy. If I didn't let you go to be with the person you love then how could I say that I love you?"

"I'll be living with my sister for a while until I find myself somewhere to live. This is your house after all and I shouldn't rely on you anymore It shouldn't be hard anyway. But I got to make sure it has enough space for the three of us."

"Three?" He realized he said three. But it would be just her and Boruto right?

"I'm pregnant. It's a girl." Hinata said as if it wasn't shocking news. It wasn't for her anyway but to Naruto it was.

"What? Why didn't you tell me? A girl? When did you know? Was it...?" Naruto was processing all of the information as Hinata got up from the dining table and walked to the room to pack some things. "Hinata I can help. I'll send you money whenever you need and whenever you want I can take care of the baby...Let me help."

"Of course. I know you can help but Boruto is gonna need time to adjust and I'm going to need to be on my own as well. My sister will help me but since she's head of the clan she might get a bit of hate helping her loser of a sister who couldn't keep her husband..." Hinata chuckled as if it were a joke.

"I'll always be here to help you Hinata. You just need to ask me. I'll give you your space but don't forget that I still care about you. Maybe not in the way you wanted, but..."

"I know." Hinata looked into Naruto's eyes, taking in his bright blue warmth that emulated from them always. She had to let go. It was the only way. She wanted to be self-dependent. She'd accept help and then work on her own for a while because she's always needed people to help her. Now that she was a single mother she didn't want to be dependent on anyone constantly anymore. "...and I am sorry for...yelling at you like that."

"Now you don't apologize. You had every right to say that to me. Listen Hinata, just stay here. I know I bought the house and everything but you take it. Boruto grew up here, he should continue to grow up here. He'll have an easier time that way. There's enough space for you and Boruto and the baby. So I will have to find someplace to live instead. It will be way easier for me to find a place anyway." It would be way easier to move just himself than it would be Hinata moving and Boruto moving with her also since he was Hokage he was sure to find a place soon.

"I'll just have to talk to..." Sasuke. I'll have to talk to him. Naruto didn't want to say his name not knowing how she'd react and it was kind of touchy considering Naruto literally divorced Hinata for him.

"Yes, I know." Hinata smiled. She knew who he was talking about But instead of happiness, she exuded an overwhelming feeling of sadness. If I love him I need to let him go.

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What did you think of this chapter? Also this book is gaining reads pretty fast--whattt. It took 4 days to go from 1K to 2K. I'm shook.

Thanks for reading ;)