How it went
Naruto Uzumaki.
2 months before split.
He was swamped. Naruto had been buried in paperwork since he'd become Hokage. It's always what he'd dreamt of, but he never knew that with the power and respect it brought, it also brought on a plethora of new stringent responsibilities.
Every single afternoon. Sunrise to sunset. Writing, stamps of approval, discussions, and everything over again.
By the end of the day he was exhausted. When he returned to his home, his eyes droopy and energy completely depleted, he would find Boruto at his feet, and vociferous noise throughout their rooms as Hinata was holding Himawari on her hip, looking sleepy, but content. It was clear she was attempting to fool Naruto into thinking she was alright.
He sighed, picking Boruto up, the young boy hugging his neck. He sighed, but smiled. He loved his kids very much; they were a part of his life he cherished deeply. But he was already wrung dry of any energy he had left.
Walking through the hall, he stepped over various toys and messy blankets, putting him down into his bed. He sat on the edge of the bed, stretching.
Boruto wriggled inside his blanket, and tucked the blanket up to his chin. Naruto smiled. He reached out to untie the head band off his son. Then, Boruto suddenly asked him something, his voice laced with sleep.
"Dad... Mom said you were out with Sasuke again today. Back at the Hokage office. You spent the entire day there. She said she had a feeling about something."
His eyes widened, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words. He chuckled, but it sounded more nervous than humorous.
"Feeling, she said? And she didn't say anything else?"
He inquired, and though his voice was soft, he was genuinely curious. What was she thinking, and why hadn't she told him? Boruto looked away, as if he was keeping a major secret. What really striked Naruto as odd was he had guilt written all over his expression. He leaned in.
"She said that.... About you. And Sasuke. I know he trains me, and I always told her what he'd say about you when we would sparr."
Naruto felt his chest tighten. Sasuke had said things about him to Boruto? Suddenly, he felt like a schoolgirl, wondering what he'd said and how. He glanced at the door, and watched Hinata pass by with Himawari still in her arms. She sat down on the mat, cradling her.
He knew he should hurry and put Boruto to bed to help her. But it wouldn't take much longer to ask him what Sasuke was saying.
"What did he say?" He put his hands on Boruto's shoulders gently, but firm enough to show Boruto he was eager to know. He swallowed, but continued.
"Nothin' too weird. He said I had your eyes, and that he sees you in me. That I remind him of where you guys first began as ninja. But..."
He bit the inside of his cheek in a ponderous manner. Naruto felt his heart pounding against his rib cage.
"But what? Go on, tell me." He gave him a small, encouraging grin.
"He said it, and I smiled. He looked at me a weird way. His eyes were locked on me, and he looked, um.."
He paused, finding the words to say. Naruto ended up finishing for him out of anticipation.
"Fond." His eyes were on the window, as if hoping by chance Sasuke would be up and walking past their window that exact moment he was looking out.
He turned back, finding Boruto with a knitted brow. Naruto laughed, quickly getting to his feet and running a hand through his short, golden hair.
"Ah, thanks for telling me. Goodnight, Boruto."
He stepped out, creaking the door shut behind him. As he turned back, he caught Hinata, asleep on the couch with Himawari on her chest, clinging to her sleepily.
He should've been there for his wife. Helped her with their kid. Come home sooner. But something about Sasuke.. He couldn't articulate it. He'd spent so many years chasing after him, finding and telling him why he needed him.
Why he loved cherished him. Why he wanted to have a lasting relationship friendship with him, now that everything had finally settled down.
Naruto had won. He had a wife that loved him, children, he was who he always wanted to be--Hokage. He had harnessed the Nine Tailed Fox. He'd done everything.
But if you sat down with Naruto, or caught him in the street and asked him what he believed to be his biggest life accomplishment?
He'd smile bashfully, scratching the back of his head as he would admit that it was finding and bringing Sasuke back to the village. Out of everything he'd done.
Sasuke was his biggest win.
He shouldn't feel unhappy. He shouldn't be jealous of Sakura, or dissatisfied with the way his life had turned out. He had a life tons of people wished for daily. But he felt unhappy.
His gaze locked on to Hinata's sleeping faced, one covered in weariness. He felt guilty.
Gently removing Himawari from her arms, he pushed her door open with his foot and set her down. She stirred, but he hushed her.
He stared out at the village through the window in Himawari's dim room, the darkness plunging him. He watched couples pass, smiling and holding each other's arms. And his jaw clenched.
He thought of Sasuke. But, when hadn't he?