Author Note:
New chapter!
As promised, here the new chapter. To be honest, I didn't satisfy with the original draft so I wrote the whole thing all over again.
Have you read the latest chapter of Boruto manga? Seriously, why Kurama?! And Sasuke's eye... Hmm, I can see what they planned, our two favorite op characters are slowly being walked back and will let the new generation to shine, especially the main character, Boruto. Well, the anime Boruto finally reached the arc where Kawaki will be introduced, I wonder if they follow the manga to the letter or twist the plot a bit, I hope the former since I like the interaction between Naruto and Kawaki in the manga.
Enough chattering, onto the chapter!
Declaimer: All characters in Naruto and Boruto series belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Ukyo Kodachi respectively.
This chapter is not beta'd.
Enjoy!
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Himawari blinked in surprise when she saw her big brother raced downstairs and went straight to the phone near the front door. "Big Brother, who are you calling? How's Mama and Papa?"
Boruto ignored his sister's questions as he struggled to push the right buttons but before the line connected to the hospital, a knock was heard from the front door which startled him which he accidentally put the phone back.
"Dammit!"
"Hello, anybody home? Hinata?"
Boruto looked at the door in surprise. Aunt Sakura?
"It's Aunt Sakura!" Himawari opened the door to see Sakura readied her knuckle to knock again.
"Ah, Himawari! Can I talk to you mothe- Eeh?!"
Sakura almost tripped as Boruto snatched her hand and quickly pulled her into the house, "Aunt Sakura, it's my dad! You gotta help my dad!"
"Huh? Naruto?" Sakura blinked. "He is here? I thought he was still at the office. Well, I need to talk to him anyway, so-"
"Aunt Sakura, he can't breathe! You need to help him 'ttebasa!"
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Beep...beep...beep...beep
The annoying monotone beep sounds echoed in his ears and the familiar feeling sharp prick at the back of his hand were the first things he realised when he slowly regained consciousness.
Hospital?
Naruto mentally frowned as he tried to remember why he was in the hospital in the first place. Did he fought someone? He remembered to have dinner with his family, then everything went dark and he heard Hinata's voice panicking, calling for him... Hinata!
Naruto tried to move before he groaned weakly as waves of pain exploded throughout his body.
"Dad?"
"Mama, Papa is moving!"
He heard the sound of chair's legs scrapped the floor, gentle hands touched his left arm as familiar voice called him, "Naruto-kun? Naruto-kun, can you hear me?"
Hinata and the kids in the hospital too? But why? Did they got hurt?
Naruto groaned weakly in pain as he struggled to open his eyes. After a few tries his half-lidded blue eyes met her soft gaze lavender eyes.
"Hinata..."
Hinata smiled softly at her husband, hand gently caressed his cheek as she spoke, "Good morning, Naruto-kun."
"Papa is awake!" Himawari popped from Hinata's side, bounced happily now that her father has awakened. Boruto silently stood behind his sister.
"Himawari... Boruto..." Naruto tried to lift his prosthetic arm to touch his daughter, but failed. His arm didn't even budged a bit. The blond Hokage mentally frowned at his bandaged arm, before he tried to lift his left arm, which he only managed to lift it a few inches before it plopped back on the bed, the IV tube tangled at his wrist from the movement.
"Hinata... *cough* What's *cough* happened?"
Naruto grimaced at his hoarse voice, the small coughs irritated his parched throat. A straw touched his dry lips which he sucked a few sips of water from the glass Hinata held. Small movement, yet he suddenly felt tired like he been sparred with Sasuke for hours. It was a struggle to keep his eyes opened. He felt so weak.
"Naruto? Can you open your eyes?"
That voice... Sakura? Wait, when did he closed his eyes?
Naruto opened his eyes again, his blue eyes met the sight of Sakura's tired face. His eyes wandered around to see a few nurses in the room, Hinata and his children nowhere to be found. His eyes wandered back to Sakura as she began to spoke to him.
"Naruto, I need to ask a few questions. I know you are tired, just simple yes and no will do. Do you understand?"
Naruto hummed tiredly, too tired to give a verbal response. Sakura sighed as she began to prod his ribs, stomach and prosthetic arm, simultaneously asked if he felt pain anywhere which his responses to her questions limited to slurred yes and hummed. To be honest, his whole body was sore, especially his stomach and head, though his pain has gradually lessened to a certain degree as one of the nurses put something in his IV, probably painkiller.
Naruto watched Sakura hovered her green-glowed hands over his stomach, his eyes threatened to close. He was tired and he wanted nothing other than his family at his side and sleep. Sakura ended her jutsu and wrote something on her papers before she smiled at him, "Just a little bit more, then I will let you sleep. Can you fold some chakra on your right arm?"
Naruto blinked for a moment to process the request before he nodded, his head slid to see his prosthetic arm and concentrate to fold some chakra. Blue hues glowed his prosthetic hand as the chakra flowed before sharp pain exploded in his stomach. He groaned in pain, eyes closed tightly as he tried to breath through the pain before he caught in a coughing fit, Sakura gently lifted his upper body into a semi-sitting position and gently rubbed his back to help ease the cough.
A few minutes felt like eternity when he finally stopped coughing, his energy felt drained as his eyes slowly closed, unaware to Sakura gently lay him back on the bed or Hinata and his children rushed back into the room to sit at his side.
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Sakura checked her patient one more time, contented to find that he was sleeping peacefully and pain free before she turned to Hinata with a smile.
"He is fine. Given his exhaustion, he will probably sleep until late evening."
The pink-haired medic-nin turned to Boruto and Himawari, "Why don't you grab some lunch at the cafeteria? I need to speak with your mother for a bit, so you can grab something for her. If I am not mistaken there are cinnamon rolls in the menu today."
Himawari face lighted up when she heard her favourite treat and turned to her mother with a smile, "Do you want to eat those, Mama?"
Hinata nodded, "Be careful, okay? Make sure you eat some vegetables too."
"Okay Mama! Big Brother, let's go! We can bring some ramen for Papa, he can eat them when he wakes up!"
Boruto sweatdropped at his sister as she pulled him out of the room, "I doubt he can eat that 'ttebasa..."
Sakura waited until the children out of earshot before she sat on the chair beside Hinata, "Hinata..."
"What's his condition, Sakura-san?"
Sakura sighed as she looked at the patient report, "Severe case of exhaustion, chakra coil damage, mild fever and dehydration. Truthfully his condition is worsened from when I examined him after he got back from that other dimension. His chakra network is working as he still can folds chakra, but it also caused him pain as his damage chakra coil can't handle even his own chakra, let alone Kurama's. I sensed Kurama's chakra lingered in his chakra coil, probably tried to heal the damage but his chakra is too potent for Naruto's damaged coil to handle, resulting the damage worsened. I will consult Shizune-san about possible seals to separate Kurama's chakra for a while until the damage healed. Another solution is surgery, but in Naruto current condition, it's too risky."
Sakura took a glance at the sleeping Hokage before she smiled in assurance, "But don't worry, I don't think he need the surgery, and given his Uzumaki genes he should be able to recover in a few weeks."
Hinata nodded at Sakura's explanation as she stared at her sleeping husband with a solemn face.
The pink haired medic-nin sighed before she gently put a hand on her friend's shoulder with a smile, "He will be fine, Hinata."
"I know." Hinata gently tucked the blanket around him. Silence engulfed the room for a few minutes, both kunoichi contented to see Naruto slept soundly before Sakura stood up with a stretch and turned to walk to the door.
"I need to go make my rounds now, if you need anything just tell the nurse outside, okay? Oh, and Garra will come for a visit tomorrow, Sai already cleared with me."
As Hokage, Naruto has his own privileges, including a secure private room at the hospital. The private room was in closed location, guarded by ANBUs and the only people that granted access to the room were the Hokage's family, Sakura and a private medical team at her disposal specifically to treat the Hokage, Shikamaru as his closed advisor and Sai as the head of ANBUs. Other than that, anyone who wish to visit the Hokage at the hospital must get clearance from Sai and Sakura respectively, even the Kages from the other villages.
"Kazekage-sama? I thought he will come to Konoha next week for the meeting."
"Yeah but he arrived yesterday, Shikamaru said something about being away from work for a few days, which Naruto should learn from him. Seriously, when the last time he took a day off? Anyway, I need to go now. I will see you later."
Hinata stood up and gave a small bow as Sakura exited the room before she sat back on the chair beside his bed.
"How long I was out?"
Hinata was startled at the sudden soft whisper and looked at Naruto who blinked at her tiredly.
"Naruto-kun? I thought you were sleeping. Do you feel any pain?"
"No... Just tired."
Hinata gently smoothed his blanket before she sat down again, her eyes met his half-lidded eyes.
"Where... Himawari and Boruto?"
"They are at the cafeteria, but they should be back soon. Himawari said she wanted to bring you some ramen."
Naruto hummed, his eyes were dropping, threatened to close. Hinata rubbed his arm soothingly.
"Go to sleep, I will be here when you wake up later."
Naruto stubbornly tried to stay awake but this time exhaustion won as Hinata's soothing rubs lulled him back to sleep.
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I hate to admit but yes, it's a short chapter.
Anyway, despite my busy schedule, the next chapter is currently in writing process. Stay tuned!