The One That Got Away

You were fucked

There was this simple assignment that led you to walk the hallway that led to the Hokage's office. It was your quiet, unexpected return to the Hidden Leaf after 13 years in the service of Gaara, the Kazekage of the Sand Village. Reuniting with old friends and memories began as an exciting prospect of your life, the person you were going to see now being one you missed greatly. You have never expected for the next words to cross your mind as you stood into his office, bright blue ripping through your soul:

You were fucked.

》》》

"What is he like now?" you asked, holding a stack of folders filled with paperwork sent by Gaara.

"Taller. Calmer." Shikamaru Nara scrunched his nose while walking next to you helping you with another stack of papers. "The same idiot nonetheless."

"Shikamaru!" you laughed. "We're talking about Lord Seventh here."

"Yes, we do." he replied with a shrug and a smile. "We're also talking about Naruto Uzumaki. Remember him?"

"Oh, I do." you said, nodding slowly. "I do .."

"Hm." Shikamaru hummed, eyeing you with the corner of his eyes and a raised eyebrow. "What about you? You seem different."

"I think we are all different since the war." you replied as you both stopped in front of the Hokage's office. "Is there anything of significance I should know before going in there?"

"Congratulate him." Shikamaru replied by opening a folder and placing it on top of the others you were holding. "His son started the Academy today."

For a split second, you could feel your heart and breath stopping abruptly as the photograph of a blonde boy with bright blue eyes and a wide grin stared back: Boruto Uzumaki. Fingers brushed softly over the summary of his life up until now, followed by the next page that contained a photo of a younger girl, the same baby blue in her innocent eyes and a dark-blue hair which immediately prompted you to recognize who the mother was. It did not come as a surprise to see the name listed there, staring right back at you: Hinata Uzumaki. The searing pain shocking your body felt as if thousands of knives were embedded into your skin, almost touching vital organs, memories of the past swirling into the present reality. It was hurting more than you would ever care to admit.

After all, he was the one that got away.

"Thank you for the info." you replied in what sounded as a whisper, an unfamiliar dryness coating the insides of your mouth.

"You really had no idea .." Shikamaru said, quite surprised to see you staring at the folder as if in a trance. "You might be one of the few."

"I chose to not have information provided on certain people." you said closing the folder and tucking it under the rest. "It was easier to accept the path I've chosen away from all of you."

"Certain people .." Shikamaru said with a small smirk.

"Don't." you rolled your eyes. "Shall we?"

"Y/N, I hope these 13 years washed it all away because .." Shikamaru said while grabbing the doorknob. " .. you might be in for a surprise."

With that, your old friend opened the door to the Hokage's office and walked inside as you followed suit. He stepped to the side while you found yourself in the middle of the room, staring at the back of a tall man with short, yellow hair, a creamy-white cloak draped over the body on which you could clearly read the words painted red that spelled Seventh Hokage. Your fingers immediately gripped the stack of folders tightly, swallowing the knot formed into your throat as you worked on maintaining the professional posture.