"I wanna meet Kurama!"

The Despair | Chapter 8

"Naruto" Sasuke called out to him but no response.
"Naruto" He called again, but to no avail again.
"Naruto" Sasuke yelled at him standing right next to him but Naruto didn't respond.
"Sasuke, may I?" Gaara asked and moved forward, towards Naruto.
"Naruto, I know exactly what you are feeling. But neither is any of this your fault, neither were you late for anything and nor is it your time to wallow in sadness." Gaara stepped to him and stopped him from punching the log with his bloodied hands.
"Snap out of it. Don't you love your wife?" Gaara slapped him.
"Ofcourse I love her! But I couldn't do anything! She depended on me! And I didn't do anything!" Naruto screamed.
"It's not your fault. What happened is in the past anyways. Go help your wife now. In any way you can, help her by sponging her up, by staying with her, by believing in her. She isn't dead. She needs you there with her." Gaara lowered his sand and put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Now go."
Naruto wiped his tears and went to his wife.
"Hinata, I'm sorry I left you alone so much. I'll help you now." He smiled at her and held her hand. He kissed it and sat next to her, just looked at her feeling helpless.
"Naruto, good you're here. We needed someone to sponge Hinata. Here, you do it." Sakura said handing him a small tub and a cloth.
Naruto closed the curtains and gently took her hand in his. He slowly dabbed her skin with the wet cloth and then with a dry cloth. He gave the tub and cloth back to Sakura.
"Kaa-chan," Boruto started talking to her, "You know, today on a mission we had to face these robbers. Me and Mitsuki took care of the robbers and Sarada protected the hostages. She used her Sharingan in such an amazing way. We also met Class Rep and her team on the way. Apparently their team has a new member a samurai girl." He started and Naruto left the room.
"How's she now?" Sasuke asked him.
"I'm still waiting." Naruto answered in a very depressed tone.
"Don't worry. It's not your style." Sasuke said sitting down.
Naruto quietly sad down beside him.
"Sasuke, would you not worry about Sakura if she was dying?"
"No. I wouldn't. Do you know why?" Sasuke turned to him.
"My wife is not a weak woman. She wouldn't die so easily." Sasuke smiled at himself.
"Seems like it." Naruto just let out a breath.
"Naruto" Gaara said to him.
"I think you would like this news. Your wife is responding well to the treatment. If this keeps up, she will gain consciousness soon." He smiled calmly.
"That's nice to hear." Naruto smiled and went back to his wife.
"You know, Hinata" Naruto started when he realized Boruto was t around anymore, "I defeated the guy who hurt you so much. I couldn't have done it alone, he was too strong, but I did it with the help of Sasuke. His Rinnegan abilities help us a lot. Boruto learnt a new type of Rasengan according to him. I also saw it when we fought Momoshiki. I was so glad he was defeated and so excited to come back to you, but an idiotic White Zetsu replaced me. I could travel through dimensions because I could overcome the speed of light and I reached a dimension where I could sense Sasuke's presence. We immediately returned but by that time, he had done this to you. I'm sure you must have fought way better than me. I'm so proud of how you protected the kids. I love you so much, Hinata. Thank you." Naruto held on to her hand as he said that.
Soon, the machine started beeping faster, Hinata started breathing faster and Sakura ran into the room.
"Medical Nin team. I want Formation C." She ordered the team and they asked Naruto to wait outside.
"Papa, Mama will be fine." Himawari said hugging her father's legs.
"I know, Hima." He picked her up in his arms. "I know, my Hinata will not leave me like this, but I am worried about her. I'm worried so much." Naruto cried as his daughter hugged him.
"Naruto," Sakura said as she called out to him from the hospital window, "You can see, Hinata now." She said.
Naruto rushed to Hinata's room to find that she still hadn't opened her eyes.
"Hinata, you're my hope. If you keep sleeping like this, lying down like this with your eyes closed, who am I going to look at, huh? Remember during the Shinobi War? You made me aware of who I really was. You told me that I didn't have the time to wallow in self-pity. Remember the time you protected me from Pain? Because of you I met my dad and managed to suppress Kurama at that time. Remember how you protected us from those bees? You used your special jutsu and took care of all the bees on your own! I was so amazed by your ability! Remember the Magnetism guy? You hit his chakra point and he drowned in his own iron sand. I thought you were super amazing that time. I was so scared to let you do everything alone. I was super worried, but Shino asked me to leave it to you. I didn't think you could do it, but you did it. You're so strong, Hinata. You destroyed the Tenseigan! You believed in me. You said that the if it was the last day on earth, you'd want to spend it with me. Then Hinata, come back. Spend that time with me. Don't you want to see Boruto's girlfriend? Don't you want to see our kids coming back successfully from an S-Rank mission? Don't you want to see our kids contribute towards the future of their village and protect it? Don't you want to see me all old and jaggy? Don't you want to kiss me again? Don't you want to hug me again? Don't you want to hold my hand and walk on the streets again? Don't you want to fall asleep on the dining table waiting for me so that I can carry back to your room?" Naruto started tearing up. He took Hinata's hand in his and kissed it.
"Hinata, I know I have ignored you for a lot of time. That's why you're mad at me, aren't you? I didn't understand what you felt even though you tried your best to show it to me. That's why you're punishing me, ne? Well, Hinata don't do this, please. Anything else. You can yell at me, hit me, slap me, beat me to a pulp, kill me, but please don't do this. Please, open your eyes. Talk to me." Naruto cried and put his forehead on her hand.
"Hyuuga's daughter, you are really of so much importance to both, Naruto and your family. Naruto is an idiot, he doesn't know or understand love, he doesn't always do right by you. He's the Hokage and puts the village welfare before his own family's, but it doesn't diminish his love for you or his family in any way. Daughter of Hyuuga, let me tell you this, Naruto depends on you. He has gained many people dear to him and lost many but, the only one that he might not be able to lose, is you. Daughter of Hyuuga, Hinata, wake up so you can make stew for me again. Wake up so you can yell at that brat when he makes fun of Naruto. Wake up to take care of that kind yet dangerous girl of yours. Wake up because you are an important part of this family." Kurama said and returned back to his place inside Hinata.
"Naruto, " Sakura called him, "It's time for her sponging." She handed him the tub and cloth again.
"Your skin is so soft, Hinata." He said gently dabbing the cloth on her hands, "Forgive me, if I am too harsh."
"Kaa-chan!" Boruto came into the room again and started talking her as if nothing had happened to her, "Kaa-chan, do you know Hanabi Nee-chan was talking to me outside. She said I was a loser, so I challenged her to a battle, but I put a condition on her that she can't use her Byakugan. But she still one, I have a lot to learn, but I got hurt here and here and here and here as well!" Boruto pointed to different parts of his body, "But I went to Sarada's mom and she healed me within no time." He continued talking to her as if she were listening to everything he was saying laughing and giggling at it.
Naruto's eyes teared up and he went out to the garden once he was done sponging.
"Hinata." He thought as he remembered all the sweet moments they had spent together as comrades, as lovers, as husband and wife but most importantly as friends. How they supported each other, how they cared for each other and how they picked each other up from their lowest points.