Just a small little thing, set after Chapter 700.

I don't own Naruto.

Responsibilities

It's already past midnight, when Naruto staggers in his and Hinata's bedroom. Another long day at the Hokage's office if finally over and he missed family dinner – for the third time this week. It's more hectic than usual (and usually it's very hectic) because Konoha is hosting the Gokage Meeting this year. Really Naruto is glad about it, because it means he doesn't have to spend a week away from his family, but he barely sees them as it is.

Hinata is fast asleep and Naruto tries his hardest to creep in without making a sound. She wakes up – of course she does, she always knows when he's here.

She doesn't complain, doesn't tell him off about not spending enough time with his family (he already knows that and she knows that he knows), Hinata simply huddles closer and lets him draw her into his arms and breathe in her scent, she nuzzles against his chest and Naruto smiles. Hinata turns around and Naruto is spooning her against her back. It isn't long before they both fall asleep.

Hinata is awake instantly when she hears a tiny whimper coming from outside. Careful not to wake her husband she extracts herself from his tight grip (he needs his sleep, doesn't get enough most nights). She's barely out the door when Naruto starts twisting in their sheets, his hands search the space next to him and he jolts awake when he finds it empty.

He looks around the room, his heartbeat is elevated and sleep is forgotten. The door is ajar and a stream of light falls into the room. He doesn't want to wake the children (they have been sound asleep when he checked after coming home). The door leading to Boruto's room is partly opened and Naruto is relieved to hear his wife's voice.

"You want to tell me what you're nightmare was about?" Hinata holds Boruto close and strokes over his cheek.

At first her little boy seems reluctant, big boys didn't have nightmares. "You know," Hinata coaxes. "I have nightmares too."

"What do you dream about?" Boruto asks her with big eyes.

"Sometimes I dream about how you're Uncle Neji died," Hinata says, her hands draw soothing circles on his back.

So Boruto tells her slowly and hesitantly. "It was all dark and I didn't know where I was and I kept yelling for Daddy to come. And then I was falling and I was so scared and Daddy said he had to go to the village first and…" he hiccups and tries to fight back the tears.

Hinata doesn't know what to say, she knows Naruto has been busy those past weeks, but she has not taken any mission because of that, hoping to make up for it. "Boruto… sweetie, you know your Daddy loves you very much, don't you?"

The six year old averts his eyes but nods with a little shrug and Hinata's heart breaks. She doesn't know what to tell her son, because Naruto has been absent a lot. But she knows he's just overcompensation because he's afraid to fail as Hokage, because the insecurities installed in him as a child are still breaking through from time to time. But she also knows that Naruto would do anything for his family. So she tells Boruto that Naruto would always come for him and that he loves him, but still it takes her more than half an hour to get him back to sleep.

Naruto is frozen outside, the blood is rushing in his ears and he hears nothing but the small voice of his son telling his wife he thinks his father doesn't love him. And he can't breathe because everything is spinning and he feels like vomiting. The Hokage's job is demanding – more so than he thought and wants to be a good Hokage. It has always been his dream, but he finds himself missing his family more and more. And he'd rather spent time with them, than at his desk. And it makes him feel guilty and so he spends more time at work to make up for it. But now – now his son is having night terrors because he thinks that his father would pick the village before him (he wouldn't, couldn't ever and prays it won't ever come to it – and it makes him guiltier, because he's the Hokage and the village should be his first priority but it isn't and so he works harder).

He doesn't know how much time has passed but when he hears his wife coming back he retreats back to his bed quickly. He can't look at her right now, because the guilt and the pain are eating him up and he doesn't think he can bear to see the disappointed look in her eyes.

Hinata crawls back into bed and slowly a frown begins to form on her forehead. Naruto is completely clamed up and tense, she can feel his heart beat violently against his ribcage. She supresses a sigh, she had hoped that tomorrow she could talk to him and then she could explain to him in a gentle way how Boruto felt.

"How much did you hear?" she asks in a whisper. Her fingers are threading through his hair and Naruto shifts so that his head is resting on her collarbone and exhales against her skin – despite it all her touch never ceases to ground and sooth him (he's a lot like his son in that regard). He doesn't answer and for Hinata that's answer enough.

"Naruto" her voice is oh-so-gentle and he basks in it. "Don't…"

He grips her shirt (it's his shirt really, but it looks much better on her), fists it in his hand and buries his head in the crook of her neck. "Am I such a terrible father?"

"No! Naruto look at me," her forehead falls on his. "You're an amazing father. It just takes Boruto a bit of time to get used to it. You've had a lot of time for him before whenever you didn't have a mission and stayed in the village. You need to give him a bit of time to adjust to this new situation."

"He thinks I'd pick the village before him," Naruto mumbles miserably.

Her fingertips graze his cheeks, "He needs some time… and some reassurance from you, no doubt. But he'll be fine, I promise."

"I never thought… I grew up without my parents and I… I wanted to always be there for my children… I want them to know how much I love them," his voice is shaking.

"They do. Boruto was just sill agitated from his nightmare," Hinata insist to cease his fear. "It's been hard since you became Hokage – because it is different than before and I think we all need some time. It'll get better. Soon enough you'll know how to manage both. Just give it a few more months."

"What can I do? What can I do to make things better?"

Hinata smiles, "Well, you do have one thing the previous Hokage didn't."

"You?"

She laughs silently at this, "No. You have not only one but two predecessors, neither of which has a family – well, I guess Kakashi has Gai and Team seven and Tsunade has us and Sakura – but just ask them if things get too much. And also, don't let Shikamaru wiggle his way out of work, you know how lazy he is."

Naruto has to chuckle at this, "How did they make it seem so easy?"

"Because they didn't try as hard as you do. Tsunade let Shizune do most of the organising – as did Kakashi. You barely rely on her. You can't do everything on your own," she tells him with unusual straight-forwardness (because this is about her family and she loves them more than anything).

"I'm sorry," he tells her after a few minutes of silence.

"There's no reason for you to feel sorry. I understand, being Hokage has always been your dream…"

"No! Hinata no," he interrupts her because he needs her to understand. "I love you and Boruto and Himawari and I would never…"

She runs her fingers over his mouth softly, "You need to let me finish. It has always been your dream and you're trying to live up to the expectations you set for yourself. Only there isn't anything like perfection – that doesn't mean you're not great at it. You are a great Hokage and you're an amazing father."

"Thanks," he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "I promise I'll do better and spent more time with all of you."

Hinata smiles and massages his skull, "Just relax a little, the world won't collapse just because you're not in the office for a few hours. "

"… Wait a second! You don't think I'm perfect?" he gasps.

Hinata giggles, "I'm afraid not – but I wouldn't trade you anyway."

"As if I'd let you," Naruto pouts.

"I love you," she places a kiss on his lips and he reciprocates happily.

"I love you, too."

For a few minutes they just laid there facing each other. The Hinata sighs with a shock of her head.

"Oh, just go. I can see how much you want to cuddle up to your son."

Naruto only smiles sheepishly.

…

Boruto blinks drowsily and yawns, "Daddy? - What are you doing in my bed?"

Naruto hugs his firstborn close, "I had a nightmare." He isn't lying, not really, because knowing is son feels neglected by him is worse than a nightmare.

Boruto's pale blue eyes widen, "Really? I had a nightmare too!"

"Wanna tell me about it?" Naruto asks carefully.

The six-year-old hides his head in his father's chest and shakes his head.

"That's fine. You don't have to tell me," he caresses his son's hair, reassuring not only his son that he is there, but also himself, that his son is here.

"What was your dream about, Daddy?" Boruto asks his voice is muffled by his father's upper body.

"I dreamt that you were gone and I couldn't find you and I was looking everywhere but I didn't find you. I was terrified."

"And then you woke up?"

Naruto nods.

"And you came because you wanted to see, if I was still there?"

The blonde glances down and two pearl blue eyes look right back up at him.

"Yeah" Naruto says hoarsely, "I just wanted to be sure." He places a kiss on top of his hair.

"Will you be there when I wake up?"

"I promise!"

Boruto's face splits from his bright grin and Naruto feels much lighter in his heart. His little fingers twist in Naruto's shirt and Naruto hugs him close.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy."

A tear escapes his eye, because he is so grateful. And when his son starts telling him about his nightmare in a quite murmur against his chest, he finally feels at peace again.

Tell me what you think!

So... considering the ending of Naruto, I kind of feel like sharing my feelings about this, because... I can.

First of all, I am shocked about what's going on in the Fandom. Sad part is Naruhina fans wouldn't be any better if Naruto wouldn't have ended up with Hinata.

I must admit the only things that made sense about this ending are Naruhina and Shikatema... everything else was a bit forced? I don't know, I found it unnecessary to pair up every character, but I guess it's fine either way.

Truly there is one Fandom that I really feel for because their pairing would have made just as much sense as Naruhina, so they have to right to be hurt: Naruto and Sasuke have (without a doubt) the strongest bond and I also think that if either of them were female, 90 % of the Fandom would ship them. I do hope they keep enjoying their fanfictions and drawings because they deserve it!

So anyway, I can't understand those that say Naruhina had no development, but that's a different matter...

Anyway, despite the ending, I'll stick with the pairings from my first story (unless someone can convince me otherwise), because this is my Fanfiction and I do what I want.

If you have actually read this till the end: Congratulations! ... Mind if I ask you for a favour?

I'm currently writing on a story and this one will only concentrate on three pairings (the others will be implied or mentioned) and I'm out of ideas for Neji and Tenten! If you have ideas, please share! Otherwise there'll only be two focus pairings.

It would also be great if you're ideas include or are based on the Hyuga Clan, since my story will explore the (missed) potential of the third (neglected) Visual Bloodline Limit: The Byakugan.

Thanks!