If Only

Twenty-Six

/flashback/

"Aunt Hinata. I have a problem. I need some advice."

"Oh? What's on your mind sweetie?"

A voice in the background makes Shouyu laugh and grin.

"Sweetie? Hinata Uzumaki are you cheating on me?"

Shouyu laughs as he hears Hinata facepalm herself on the other end of the phone.

"Naruto-kun, I'm talking to Shouyu. And plus, I've been in love with you all my life. How and why would I ever think of looking at another man the same?"

"H-h-hinata. Don't say things like that in front of the kids. It makes me blush ya know?"

"I know it does and you are so cute when you blush."

"S-s-stop it."

Hinata giggles and Shouyu's heart jumps as her giggles remind him of Amari a bit. Amari's smile appears in Shouyu's mind and he smiles by instinct. Hinata repeatedly calls his name to get his attention, but its Naruto that drags him out of lala land.

"SHOUYU!!!"

"Huh? Yes sir?"

"Are ya done daydreaming?"

"Hehe. How'd you know?"

"Because I do the same whenever I'm at the office and I think of Hinata. She's amazing. I love her. So much."

"How do you know when you love someone? I would ask my dad but you know how much he likes to tease."

"And yet you just asked me."

Shouyu facepalms. "Why not go with the lesser of the three evils?"

"Three? Who's the third?"

Shouyu scoffs, "Come on Uncle Naruto. Did you really think I'd leave Uncle Sasuke out of this?"

"Good point. But back to your question. Whenever Hinata crosses my mind, I get butterflies in my stomach. Sometimes I unconsciously began to write 'Naruto loves Hinata or Hinata -n- Naruto on my desk and I get so lost in the thought of her smile, her cute giggles, her voice, her touch and just everything about Hinata that makes her Hinata. I know I sound like a love sick puppy but when you're as in love with someone as I am, you don't care what others think or feel about it."

"Wow N-n-naruto-k-kun."

"Yeah dad. Didn't know you felt that deeply about mom."

"Don't you feel the same for Sarada?"

"Y-yeah I d-do."

"Well there you go. Its okay to be in love with someone. The hardest part is telling them. I didn't know Hinata had been in love with me all of her life when I told her how I felt. I had actually thought she'd reject me because of another guy but she didn't and that made things so much more pleasant. The fact that I was in love with someone who was in love with me."

"But what if she doesn't feel the same?"

"Doesn't matter. You still need to tell her. Not saying a word will torment you and hurt you more than help you."

Shouyu thinks and smiles, "Thanks Uncle Naruto. I had actually called to get advice from Aunt Hinata but never expected to get what I needed from you."

Naruto chuckles, "Hey. I know a thing or two about love. I was a teenager just like you guys once before."

Shouyu thanks them and then ends the call. He goes to his parents' room and finds his mother standing near the bedroom window playing Pokemon GO. "Dammit. Blaziken you're mine whether you like it or not." Shouyu deadpans at his mother's childish antics. "Yes. Gotcha you son of a bitc....oh hey sweetie. What brings you here?"