NaruHina travels back in time

Naruto and Hinata's thoughts

After Boruto and Sasuke came back from the past, Sasuke handed Naruto the turtle device they'd used to travel. Naruto hold it in his hands and kept staring at it for about five minutes, whilst crazy thoughts and ideas started crossing his mind. Sasuke, aware of that look and its meaning, immediately warned him:

–Don't you even think about it. You can alter time, space and every single thing that has happened... Besides, if you are actually happy with the way your life turned out, you wouldn't want to risk it, or would you?

Naruto looked down, filled with embarrassment, and only replied:

–You're right! I'm such an idiot for even thinking about it. I'll leave it at the office and will give it back to Shikamaru tomorrow. Goodbye, Sasuke –and, after thinking if saying his next words were right or not, added–. And please, don't just go. Stick around for a bit with your family.

–I'm planning on doing so. And, also, I'll come more often... –Sasuke said in a serious manner, remembering the Sakura from the past that he used to neglect so much and, still, kept loving him. He wanted to show her more often that he reciprocated those feelings, that saying to her "I love you" weren't just empty words.

Naruto understood Sasuke's words and implications. Outlined a smile and left.

After leaving the device at the Hokage's office, he headed home, where his family was waiting for him... But he couldn't stop thinking about going back in time. Not because he wasn't happy; he was. As a matter of fact, this time was the happiest he had been in his entire life, and he wouldn't want to jeopardise that... But, precisely because of that, his mind was filled with memories from his old self, that little kid left alone in the world, with no friends, no family, no love, no sense of belonging... with nothing but his will... and thinking about it made his heart ache, he felt that he needed to comfort that little boy, to hug him and tell him to never give up, because he knew all the pain he was carrying back then.

Immersed in his thoughts, he finally arrived home. "Boruto and Himawari are already sleeping, and Hinata is, most surely, up at the bedroom", Naruto thought when he saw all the lights turned off. He went up the stairs, opened the door to his room and found Hinata getting ready to go to bed. She was a tad surprised to see Naruto there so soon, but, at the same time, she was really happy that he had arrived before she went to bed.

–Hi, honey, you're here early... –Hinata saluted.

–Yeah! I didn't have much work and wanted to take advantage of that and come home... I'm happy to find you awake... I'm sorry for not being here that often...

Naruto would often apologise about it to Hinata, because he really felt sorry for not being around as often as before and because he wanted her, and his kids, to know that it wasn't intentional. But Hinata would always be comprehensive and reassert him. This time wasn't the exception. Hinata replied:

–I can't say it doesn't affect me, but I understand the weight you carry and the responsibilities you took when you accepted the title... I can deal with it, you know? Family is to support each other's dreams... And as long as we have these moments...

Naruto looked at Hinata... Whenever she'd talk or looked at him with her pure heart and sweetness, he would melt... he would feel as if he was falling in love with her all over again... Hinata was already used to the puppy eyes Naruto would put every time she'd talk straight to him, and wouldn't blush or get nervous, but, inside her, the butterflies would always come back to remind her how big her love for her husband was.

They stared at each other for a while, until Naruto nodded and replied:

–I'll go take a shower... would you wait for me?