The Wise Uzumaki's words.
Izuku sighed as he put down his phone, his husband's last text message letting him know that he wasn't coming home early today in time for dinner bright on the screen. It had been two weeks since his husband had even come back from work before dinner time, sometimes way past his usual bedtime. Izuku knew his husband was focused and busy on his new project; Bakugou Fashions was collaborating with Uchiha Tech of all companies. This was a big deal; Uchiha Tech was known for revolutionary progress in the field of Hardware and their newest venture into the fashion industry was for the growth of their company's future. The CEO, Sasuke Uchiha had selected his husband to see through to their new venture, the collaboration a step forward for Bakugou Fashions as well. Izuku headed the company's advertising department, which was on holiday as the initial stages of the project were still underway; his involvement would come in once the designs of the new line would be confirmed. For now, Izuku stayed in his office space, finalizing the post-production processes of their previous line, something that left him with more free time than his husband.
Katsuki was tired; the negotiations with the Sasuke Uchiha of all people were giving him nightmares at times, nightmares of him screwing up his company's biggest project up to date. The success of this project would guarantee an increase in their company's growth, the fact that their project was with one of the world's leading Hardware technology companies, put even more stress on him. It meant multiple late nights, the project was still in the proposal stages and it was important they were able to get the best line out there for Uchiha Tech. Katsuki still remembered how intimidated he was when he first met Sasuke Uchiha, the man who had taken over the company from his eldest brother and had made a name for himself within the first year of his acquisition. Sasuke held an air of confidence and power, one that could make anyone who didn't know what they were doing cower in his presence. To please the man who could make or break his company's reputation, Katsuki had taken the lead, making sure everything was up to perfection, even if it meant he could not spend time with his newly-wed husband; something Izuku had assured was fine, knowing that it meant everything to Katsuki to grow his parents' company. The man found himself in another proposal meeting today as well, while Izuku sat in his own office, missing his husband.
As he did for the past few days, Izuku would then finish up his work and walk down to the dainty little bookstore on the corner of the street. The snow flurried through the air as he walked, the other pedestrians walked past him seeking warm shelter as well as he made it to his new favorite chill spot. It was already the Twenty-third of December and the patrons around him were still scurrying about setting up Christmas decorations. Izuku smiled at a little child who held up a bunch of twinkle lights to his sister, screaming how he wanted to put them up, as he entered the bookstore.
Naruto looked up from the cash register; the familiar head of green hair had walked into his store again. He smiled at the younger man, who picked another book, paid for it, and decided to situate himself in the little reading corner of the store. Izuku had been deep into the rather interesting book when a cheerful voice spoke up.
"So, here again, Izuku?"
Izuku looked up, the older blonde man holding out a mug of steaming coffee. Izuku accepted it gratefully and smiled back at the man. On the days that Katsuki had informed that he would be home late, Izuku found himself here, submerged in books. Home felt quite lonely, and Naruto's bookstore was always so lively, with the older blonde and who seemed to be his two kids always livening the place up with the Christmas cheer.
"Ah yeah, I guess I am." Replied Izuku, his voice lowering.
Naruto's brows scrunched as he observed the young man.
"You seemed troubled, Kid."
Izuku's head snapped back up, "Ah no! It's nothing I swear. I just am missing my husband a lot more than usual." He nervously scratched the back of his neck.
"Oh?" said Naruto as he sat opposite the younger greenette, "Is he away for work perhaps?"
Izuku shook his head, "Not really. You see, Kacchan's the head of the company, and has just bagged this huge deal with a company named Uchiha Tech." At that Naruto's expression turned amused, "And he's just been busy, trying to make sure that everything goes perfectly. He barely comes home. Sometimes he sleeps at the office. All because he wants to please the CEO and make sure he perfectly executes the project. To be honest, Uchiha-San scares both of us, he's always so stern and proper."
At that Naruto burst into laughter, Izuku looking on curiously.
"Oh my husband definitely is scary," explained Naruto, and Izuku's eyes went wide. "Sasuke is a hard worker. Oh what a small world, that I get to meet you of all people." He ended with a chuckle.
Izuku gave back a nervous chuckle of his own, "I didn't know Uchiha-San was married. Heh-heh."
"Yup married, and those two kids you see there?" pointed Naruto at the two kids still fighting over the twinkle lights, "They are our kids."
Izuku's eyes widened even more than they had previously, inciting another chuckle from Naruto.
"So, my husband is working with your husband, so Bakugou Fashions right?" enquired Naruto.
"Yes," said Izuku. "I am actually Head of Advertising there too."
"Interesting." Said Naruto, while sipping at his own mug of coffee.
Izuku was very curious, and Naruto could see the younger man hesitating, fidgeting with his mug as he wanted to ask so many questions to the older Uzumaki.
"You know you can ask me stuff, right kid?"
"Oh, I can? Thank you, sir."
"No need to call me sir, I'm not that old. Call me Naruto or Nii-San." Said Naruto with a smile.
Izuku smiled back, "Okay, Nii-San." He took another breath before asking, "So, how is Uchiha-San as a person?"
Naruto chuckled, "Very independent and determined towards the outside world, but at home, he's a total softie."
The two chuckled, "Really?" asked Izuku.
"Really," giggled Naruto. "Also many years ago, he was probably kinda like how your husband is now. Totally striving for excellence and his nose was always in his work. His brother; my brother in law was deciding to leave the CEO position and was planning to finally settle down with his own husband after handling the company for more than fifteen years. Sasuke and I too then were newly married. Guessing the way you are missing your husband, both of you are newly married as well right?"
Izuku nodded, "Six months on the twenty-fifth."
Naruto smiled, "Yeah I remember how it felt too."
Izuku looked back questioningly, Naruto chuckling again.
"We were both young men, Sasuke having just made partner in the company," started Naruto. "I was halfway through my first book and had just taken over the bookstore from my mentor."
"Wait you are a published author?" Izuku side-tracked.
Naruto nodded, "Yup, New York Times best-seller for a few years too, actually the one you are reading."
Izuku looked at the book in awe.
"Your stories are so good!" he exclaimed.
Naruto chuckled again. "Now where we were? Ah yes, Sasuke and I pretty much were busy, something that we knew we'd be with the responsibilities we had just been given."
"That meant that we both started focusing too much on work and less time on each other." Naruto then solemnly continued.
"Oh."
"Oh indeed. It became so bad that we hadn't even slept in the same bed for two months at a point, what with him busy with the acquisition and me going on a book tour. I think we were close to calling it quits at a point, the way we never could find ourselves together."
Izuku looked at the man horrified.
"But," Naruto continued, "Once things started to settle down, Sasuke was able to find a better work-life balance and my books were doing good enough without me having to go on any tours. Once we were back together again, it was like how we were when we were dating. It really brought on a new sense of appreciation for the other and we had then decided to take the next step in our life. We adopted our eldest, Mirai, and soon after Mirai joined the family, Sasuke was able to set the boundaries we needed to so desperately. I too, decided to devote my time to the bookstore and the family, even though I've written a few more books since then, I prioritized my family over book tours. We then adopted our youngest Toshiro. We've stuck to each other's side no matter what."
Izuku hearing all of what Naruto had to say, smiled. "Would this be his own future too? One with a family with Katsuki?" He wondered.
Right then, Mirai and Toshiro made their way to their father.
"Daddy! Help us set these lights up, Toshiro keeps messing them up!" complained the fourteen-year-old teenager.
"Hai, Hai." Said Naruto. Izuku too decided to take his leave, but before he could do so, Naruto stopped him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry," he assured. "Your husband, your Kacchan," he smiled at Izuku's red face, "Will be home soon. Knowing Sasuke, he's about to send everyone on holiday for Christmas Eve and Christmas. Your husband will be home tonight. Remember this, Love always finds its way back home, Okay?"
Izuku could only smile back brightly.
"Hai, Nii-San."